What’s on the Menu: Floral Tissue, Pollen or Nectar? Mouthpart Adaptations of Anthophilous Beetles to Floral Food Sources

Karolyi, Florian

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29654-4_13

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 73 publications

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“…In Chrysomelidae, for example, the prostheca was absent in Eumolpinae and Cryptocephalinae, reduced in Spulopyrinae, and well-developed in other groups [ 32 ]. Generally, the prostheca is a lobe-like mobile organ that plays a role in food gathering and concentrating pre-orally digested food originating from the prey or in scraping pollen grains and transferring them to the molar teeth [ 33 ]. Regarding the molar teeth, they were developed in H. axyridis , whereas in the case of S. vigintiquatuorpunctata they were transformed into a series of small teeth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructural Organization and Metal Elemental Composition of the Mandibles in Two Ladybird Species

Sevarika,

Romani

2024

Insects

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The mandibles are among the most important appendages of insects’ mouthparts. Their morpho-functional organization is correlated with the variation in dietary preferences. In this study, we investigated the ultrastructural organization and metal composition of the mandibles of two ladybird species with different dietary habits: Harmonia axyridis (an entomophagous species) and Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata (a phytophagous species). The ultrastructural organization was studied using Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy, whereas the metal composition was investigated using Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Significant differences were observed in the general organization and metal enrichment pattern between the two species. The mandibles of H. axyridis are large and present a molar part with two teeth, with the apical one showing a bifid apex. In contrast, S. vigintiquatuorpunctata exhibited a molar region with several teeth on its apical part. The study revealed significant differences in metal content between the teeth and the prostheca of H. axyridis. Mn was the most abundant element in teeth, whereas Cl was more abundant in the prostheca. In the case of S. vigintiquatuorpunctata, Si was the most abundant element in the prostheca, while Mn was more present in the teeth. A comparison between the two species revealed that both teeth and prostheca showed significant variation in the elemental composition. These findings underscore the role of dietary preferences in shaping the structural and metal composition variations in the mandibles of these two ladybird species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructural Organization and Metal Elemental Composition of the Mandibles in Two Ladybird Species

Sevarika,

Romani

2024

Insects

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High floral trait diversity of aquatic plants in the Pantanal reveals different pollination strategies

Santos,

Benavides,

Alcantara

et al. 2024

Aquatic Botany

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The earliest beetle with mouthparts specialized for feeding on nectar is a parasitoid of mid-Cretaceous Hymenoptera

2021

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Background During the Mesozoic, there were many insects in several holometabolous orders (Neuroptera, Mecoptera and Diptera) with elongated mouthparts adapted for feeding on nectar. The evolutionary history of the megadiverse order Coleptera, which has a great diversity of mouthparts and feeding strategies, is well documented since early Permian with a significant peak in diversity in the Triassic. Currently, however, there is no evidence that in the Mesozoic these beetles fed on nectar despite the recorded specializations for pollination of flowering plants in several families since the mid-Cretaceous. Results Here we describe a new wedge-shaped beetle Melanosiagon serraticornis gen. et sp. nov. from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber attributed to Macrosiagonini (Ripiphoridae: Ripiphorinae), which has elongated galea comparable to that in the extant parasitoid genus Macrosiagon, and a well known example of adaptation for nectar feeding in Coleoptera. Furthermore, Salignacicola gen. nov. is established for Macrosiagon ebboi Perrichot, Nel et Néraudeau, 2004, based on the holotype found in mid-Cretaceous amber from France. Systematic positions of both newly established genera are discussed. A list of potential wasp and bee hosts of Ripiphorinae from the Mesozoic is provided. Conclusions This study presents evidence of the earliest occurrence of specialized nectar feeding mouthparts in Coleoptera. Melanosiagon serraticornis is closely related to extant Macrosiagonini. In all genera belonging to subfamily Ripiphorinae the primary larvae are adapted for parasitism on aculeate Hymenoptera (bees and wasps) and adults are associated with blossoms of flowering plants, in terms of their specialized morphology. Adults of Macrosiagon visit blossoms of flowering plants to obtain nectar and lay eggs from which the hatching larvae attack visiting wasps and bees. An association with flowers of some tropical trees is already corroborated in some extant species. Interestingly the larvae of Ripiphorinae are also found in Burmese amber. Thus, both life stages of the mid-Cretaceous Ripiphorinae indicate a close association of this lineage with flowering trees.

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What’s on the Menu: Floral Tissue, Pollen or Nectar? Mouthpart Adaptations of Anthophilous Beetles to Floral Food Sources

Cited by 3 publications

References 73 publications

Ultrastructural Organization and Metal Elemental Composition of the Mandibles in Two Ladybird Species

Ultrastructural Organization and Metal Elemental Composition of the Mandibles in Two Ladybird Species

High floral trait diversity of aquatic plants in the Pantanal reveals different pollination strategies

The earliest beetle with mouthparts specialized for feeding on nectar is a parasitoid of mid-Cretaceous Hymenoptera

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