Pitcher Dimorphism, Prey Composition and the Mechanisms of Prey Attraction in the Pitcher Plant Nepenthes Rafflesiana in Borneo

Moran, Jonathan A.

doi:10.2307/2261474

Cited by 139 publications

(196 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…It was recognized that pitchers consist of morphologically distinct zones with different functions (2,5). Insects are attracted by extrafloral nectar, flower fragrance (6), or UV light absorption patterns near the pitcher opening (6,7). When visiting the pitchers, insects can fall into the traps, from which they are mostly unable to escape, and are digested by enzymes of the pitcher fluid and by the infauna inhabiting it.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…When visiting the pitchers, insects can fall into the traps, from which they are mostly unable to escape, and are digested by enzymes of the pitcher fluid and by the infauna inhabiting it. The numerous studies on the function of Nepenthes pitchers have focused on the mechanism of insect attraction (6,7), on the trapping of insects by alkaloid anesthesia (8), by slippery epicuticular wax crystals (3,5,9,10) or by downwardpointing lunate cells (3) of the inner pitcher wall, on the properties of the glandular zone (11), and on the nature of the digestive fluid (12)(13)(14). Only recently, L. Gaume et al (15) conducted the first comprehensive study on the trapping mechanism of Nepenthes by comparing the effect of the different pitcher surface zones and by separating the mechanisms of prey capture and retention.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Insect aquaplaning: Nepenthes pitcher plants capture prey with the peristome, a fully wettable water-lubricated anisotropic surface

Bohn

Federle

2004

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

668

511

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Pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes have highly specialized leaves adapted to attract, capture, retain, and digest arthropod prey. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the capture of insects, ranging from slippery epicuticular wax crystals to downward-pointing lunate cells and alkaloid secretions that anesthetize insects. Here we report that perhaps the most important capture mechanism has thus far remained overlooked. It is based on special surface properties of the pitcher rim (peristome) and insect ''aquaplaning.'' The peristome is characterized by a regular microstructure with radial ridges of smooth overlapping epidermal cells, which form a series of steps toward the pitcher inside. This surface is completely wettable by nectar secreted at the inner margin of the peristome and by rain water, so that homogenous liquid films cover the surface under humid weather conditions. Only when wet, the peristome surface is slippery for insects, so that most ant visitors become trapped. By measuring friction forces of weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) on the peristome surface of Nepenthes bicalcarata, we demonstrate that the two factors preventing insect attachment to the peristome, i.e., water lubrication and anisotropic surface topography, are effective against different attachment structures of the insect tarsus. Peristome water films disrupt attachment only for the soft adhesive pads but not for the claws, whereas surface topography leads to anisotropic friction only for the claws but not for the adhesive pads. Experiments on Nepenthes alata show that the trapping mechanism of the peristome is also essential in Nepenthes species with waxy inner pitcher walls.

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confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Insect aquaplaning: Nepenthes pitcher plants capture prey with the peristome, a fully wettable water-lubricated anisotropic surface

Bohn

Federle

2004

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

668

511

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“…Some pitcher plants release certain chemicals that are thought to attract prey (Moran 1996;Di Giusto et al 2008), and it has been implied that the red pigmentation common to many carnivorous plants might increase rates of prey capture (Schaefer & Ruxton 2008). In the present study, sundews did not appear to attract any arthropod taxa in particular because the diet matched the arthropod prey in the environment, and generalist diets appear to be common among carnivorous plants (Ellison & Gotelli 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 44%

Evidence for competition between carnivorous plants and spiders

et al. 2010

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Several studies have demonstrated that competition between disparate taxa can be important in determining community structure, yet surprisingly, to our knowledge, no quantitative studies have been conducted on competition between carnivorous plants and animals. To examine potential competition between these taxa, we studied dietary and microhabitat overlap between pink sundews (Drosera capillaris) and wolf spiders (Lycosidae) in the field, and conducted a laboratory experiment examining the effects of wolf spiders on sundew fitness. In the field, we found that sundews and spiders had a high dietary overlap with each other and with the available arthropod prey. Associations between sundews and spiders depended on spatial scale: both sundews and spiders were found more frequently in quadrats with more abundant prey, but within quadrats, spiders constructed larger webs and located them further away from sundews as the total sundew trapping area increased, presumably to reduce competition. Spiders also constructed larger webs when fewer prey were available. In the laboratory, our experiment revealed that spiders can significantly reduce sundew fitness. Our findings suggest that members of the plant and animal kingdoms can and do compete.

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“…These correspond to the visual sensitivity maxima of many of the targeted insect prey taxa. 6,7 However, not all Nepenthes deploy strictly carnivorous pitchers: recent studies have demonstrated that those of four Bornean species, Nepenthes rafflesiana var. elongata (recently renamed Nepenthes baramensis C. Clarke, J.A.…”

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Tuning of color contrast signals to visual sensitivity maxima of tree shrews by three Bornean highland Nepenthes species

Moran

Clarke

Greenwood

et al. 2012

Plant Signaling & Behavior

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Many plant species use visual signals to attract animals for purposes such as pollination and seed dispersal. [1][2][3] For example, to maximize the probability of pollen transfer from anther to stigma, insect-pollinated flowers utilize sensory cues and morphological structures tailored to the physiology and behavior of the target species.4,5 The traps of carnivorous plants have evolved in response to a similar evolutionary pressure to that which shaped the flowers of animal-pollinated plants: the necessity to attract and retain the target animal at the site of maximum benefit to the plant. For example, in pitchers of Nepenthes rafflesiana Jack, the peristome (the collar-like structure surrounding the pitcher mouth, and the site of highest nectar production) stands out in high visual contrast to the pitcher body proper, in the UV, blue and green wavebands. These correspond to the visual sensitivity maxima of many of the targeted insect prey taxa.6,7 However, not all Nepenthes deploy strictly carnivorous pitchers: recent studies have demonstrated that those of four Bornean species, Nepenthes rafflesiana var. elongata (recently renamed Nepenthes baramensis C. Clarke, J.A. Moran and Chi C. Lee 8 ), Nepenthes rajah Hook. f., Nepenthes macrophylla (Marabini) Jebb and Cheek and Nepenthes lowii Hook. f., collect mammal excreta.9-12 The latter three species attract mountain tree shrews (Tupaia montana); in return for the nectar provided by the pitchers, the animals deposit excreta, from which the plants derive nitrogen. 9,10 In these three species, the lid, rather than the peristome, is the site of greatest nectar production, and is therefore the "target" to which the tree shrews are required to orient themselves. This ensures that their hindquarters are positioned over the pitcher three species of nepenthes pitcher plants (Nepenthes rajah, Nepenthes lowii and Nepenthes macrophylla) specialize in harvesting nutrients from tree shrew excreta in their pitchers. in all three species, nectaries on the underside of the pitcher lid are the focus of the tree shrews' attention. tree shrews are dichromats, with visual sensitivity in the blue and green wavebands. all three Nepenthes species were shown to produce visual signals, in which the underside of the pitcher lid (the area of highest nectar production) stood out in high contrast to the adjacent area on the pitcher (i.e., was brighter), in the blue and green wavebands visible to the tree shrews. N. rajah showed the tightest degree of "tuning," notably in the green waveband. Conversely, pitchers of Nepenthes burbidgeae, a typical insectivorous species sympatric with N. rajah, did not produce a color pattern tuned to tree shrew sensitivity maxima.

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Pitcher Dimorphism, Prey Composition and the Mechanisms of Prey Attraction in the Pitcher Plant Nepenthes Rafflesiana in Borneo

Cited by 139 publications

References 16 publications

Insect aquaplaning: Nepenthes pitcher plants capture prey with the peristome, a fully wettable water-lubricated anisotropic surface

Insect aquaplaning: Nepenthes pitcher plants capture prey with the peristome, a fully wettable water-lubricated anisotropic surface

Evidence for competition between carnivorous plants and spiders

Tuning of color contrast signals to visual sensitivity maxima of tree shrews by three Bornean highland Nepenthes species

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