Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators
Abstract The Diptera are the second most important order among flower-visiting (anthophilous) and flower-pollinating insects worldwide. Their taxonomic diversity ranges from Nematocera to Brachycera, including most families within the suborders. Especially important are Syrphidae, Bombyliidae, and M...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
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crcambridgeupr:10.4039/ent133439-4 2024-06-23T07:50:30+00:00 Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators Larson, B.M.H. Kevan, P.G. Inouye, D.W. 2001 http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/ent133439-4 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0008347X00006398 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms The Canadian Entomologist volume 133, issue 4, page 439-465 ISSN 0008-347X 1918-3240 journal-article 2001 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.4039/ent133439-4 2024-06-12T04:03:51Z Abstract The Diptera are the second most important order among flower-visiting (anthophilous) and flower-pollinating insects worldwide. Their taxonomic diversity ranges from Nematocera to Brachycera, including most families within the suborders. Especially important are Syrphidae, Bombyliidae, and Muscoidea. Other families, especially of small flies, are less appreciated and often overlooked for their associations with flowers. We have compiled records of their flower visitations to show that they may be more prevalent than usually thought. Our knowledge of anthophilous Diptera needs to be enhanced by future research concerning ( i ) the significance of nocturnal Nematocera and acalypterate muscoids as pollinators, ( ii ) the extent to which the relatively ineffective pollen-carrying ability of some taxa can be compensated by the abundance of individuals, and ( iii ) the role of Diptera as pollinators of the first flowering plants (Angiospermae) by using phylogenetic and palaeontological evidence. Specializations in floral relationships involve the morphology of Diptera, especially of their mouthparts, nutritional requirements, and behaviour, as well as concomitant floral attributes. The South African flora has the most highly specialized relations with dipterous pollinators, but in arctic and alpine generalist fly–flower relations are important in pollination and fly nutrition. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Cambridge University Press Arctic The Canadian Entomologist 133 4 439 465 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract The Diptera are the second most important order among flower-visiting (anthophilous) and flower-pollinating insects worldwide. Their taxonomic diversity ranges from Nematocera to Brachycera, including most families within the suborders. Especially important are Syrphidae, Bombyliidae, and Muscoidea. Other families, especially of small flies, are less appreciated and often overlooked for their associations with flowers. We have compiled records of their flower visitations to show that they may be more prevalent than usually thought. Our knowledge of anthophilous Diptera needs to be enhanced by future research concerning ( i ) the significance of nocturnal Nematocera and acalypterate muscoids as pollinators, ( ii ) the extent to which the relatively ineffective pollen-carrying ability of some taxa can be compensated by the abundance of individuals, and ( iii ) the role of Diptera as pollinators of the first flowering plants (Angiospermae) by using phylogenetic and palaeontological evidence. Specializations in floral relationships involve the morphology of Diptera, especially of their mouthparts, nutritional requirements, and behaviour, as well as concomitant floral attributes. The South African flora has the most highly specialized relations with dipterous pollinators, but in arctic and alpine generalist fly–flower relations are important in pollination and fly nutrition. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Larson, B.M.H. Kevan, P.G. Inouye, D.W. |
spellingShingle |
Larson, B.M.H. Kevan, P.G. Inouye, D.W. Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators |
author_facet |
Larson, B.M.H. Kevan, P.G. Inouye, D.W. |
author_sort |
Larson, B.M.H. |
title |
Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators |
title_short |
Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators |
title_full |
Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators |
title_fullStr |
Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators |
title_full_unstemmed |
Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators |
title_sort |
flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2001 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/ent133439-4 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0008347X00006398 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
The Canadian Entomologist volume 133, issue 4, page 439-465 ISSN 0008-347X 1918-3240 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.4039/ent133439-4 |
container_title |
The Canadian Entomologist |
container_volume |
133 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
439 |
op_container_end_page |
465 |
_version_ |
1802641409614807040 |