Flowers of Deceptive Aristolochia microstoma Are Pollinated by Phorid Flies and Emit Volatiles Known From Invertebrate Carrion
Deceptive flowers decoy pollinators by advertising a reward, which finally is not provided. Numerous deceptive plants are pollinated by Diptera, but the attractive cues and deceptive strategies are only identified in a few cases. A typical fly-deceptive plant genus is Aristolochia, which evolved sop...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.658441/full |
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| author | Thomas Rupp Birgit Oelschlägel Katharina Rabitsch Katharina Rabitsch Hafez Mahfoud Torsten Wenke R. Henry L. Disney Christoph Neinhuis Stefan Wanke Stefan Dötterl |
| author_facet | Thomas Rupp Birgit Oelschlägel Katharina Rabitsch Katharina Rabitsch Hafez Mahfoud Torsten Wenke R. Henry L. Disney Christoph Neinhuis Stefan Wanke Stefan Dötterl |
| author_sort | Thomas Rupp |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Deceptive flowers decoy pollinators by advertising a reward, which finally is not provided. Numerous deceptive plants are pollinated by Diptera, but the attractive cues and deceptive strategies are only identified in a few cases. A typical fly-deceptive plant genus is Aristolochia, which evolved sophisticated trap flowers to temporarily capture pollinators. Though rarely demonstrated by experimental approaches, Aristolochia species are believed to chemically mimic brood sites, food sources for adult flies, or utilize sexual deception. Indeed, for most species, studies on scent composition and attractive signals are lacking. In this study, we focused on Aristolochia microstoma, a peculiar Greek endemic with flowers that are presented at ground level in the leaf litter or between rocks and are characterized by a unique morphology. We analyzed flower visitor and pollinator spectra and identified the floral scent composition using dynamic headspace and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Female and male phorid flies (Phoridae) are the exclusive pollinators, although the flowers are also frequently visited by Sciaridae, as well as typical ground-dwelling arthropods, such as Collembola and arachnids. The carrion-like floral scent mainly consists of the oligosulphide dimethyldisulfide and the nitrogen-bearing compound 2,5-dimethylpyrazine. These compounds together are known to be released from decomposing insects, and thus, we conclude that pollinators are likely deceived by chemical imitation of invertebrate carrion, a deceptive strategy not described from another plant species so far. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T17:29:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22e0c86a378f4dfab87f2b581dfb8153 |
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| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T17:29:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-22e0c86a378f4dfab87f2b581dfb81532022-12-21T22:53:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2021-05-01910.3389/fevo.2021.658441658441Flowers of Deceptive Aristolochia microstoma Are Pollinated by Phorid Flies and Emit Volatiles Known From Invertebrate CarrionThomas Rupp0Birgit Oelschlägel1Katharina Rabitsch2Katharina Rabitsch3Hafez Mahfoud4Torsten Wenke5R. Henry L. Disney6Christoph Neinhuis7Stefan Wanke8Stefan Dötterl9Plant Ecology, Department of Biosciences, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, AustriaInstitut für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, GermanyPlant Ecology, Department of Biosciences, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, AustriaInstitute of Biology, Universität Graz, Graz, AustriaInstitut für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, GermanyInstitut für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, GermanyDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomInstitut für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, GermanyInstitut für Botanik, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, GermanyPlant Ecology, Department of Biosciences, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, AustriaDeceptive flowers decoy pollinators by advertising a reward, which finally is not provided. Numerous deceptive plants are pollinated by Diptera, but the attractive cues and deceptive strategies are only identified in a few cases. A typical fly-deceptive plant genus is Aristolochia, which evolved sophisticated trap flowers to temporarily capture pollinators. Though rarely demonstrated by experimental approaches, Aristolochia species are believed to chemically mimic brood sites, food sources for adult flies, or utilize sexual deception. Indeed, for most species, studies on scent composition and attractive signals are lacking. In this study, we focused on Aristolochia microstoma, a peculiar Greek endemic with flowers that are presented at ground level in the leaf litter or between rocks and are characterized by a unique morphology. We analyzed flower visitor and pollinator spectra and identified the floral scent composition using dynamic headspace and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Female and male phorid flies (Phoridae) are the exclusive pollinators, although the flowers are also frequently visited by Sciaridae, as well as typical ground-dwelling arthropods, such as Collembola and arachnids. The carrion-like floral scent mainly consists of the oligosulphide dimethyldisulfide and the nitrogen-bearing compound 2,5-dimethylpyrazine. These compounds together are known to be released from decomposing insects, and thus, we conclude that pollinators are likely deceived by chemical imitation of invertebrate carrion, a deceptive strategy not described from another plant species so far.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.658441/fullAristolochiaceaedeceptive pollinationdimethyldisulfide25-dimethylpyrazinefloral scent |
| spellingShingle | Thomas Rupp Birgit Oelschlägel Katharina Rabitsch Katharina Rabitsch Hafez Mahfoud Torsten Wenke R. Henry L. Disney Christoph Neinhuis Stefan Wanke Stefan Dötterl Flowers of Deceptive Aristolochia microstoma Are Pollinated by Phorid Flies and Emit Volatiles Known From Invertebrate Carrion Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Aristolochiaceae deceptive pollination dimethyldisulfide 2 5-dimethylpyrazine floral scent |
| title | Flowers of Deceptive Aristolochia microstoma Are Pollinated by Phorid Flies and Emit Volatiles Known From Invertebrate Carrion |
| title_full | Flowers of Deceptive Aristolochia microstoma Are Pollinated by Phorid Flies and Emit Volatiles Known From Invertebrate Carrion |
| title_fullStr | Flowers of Deceptive Aristolochia microstoma Are Pollinated by Phorid Flies and Emit Volatiles Known From Invertebrate Carrion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flowers of Deceptive Aristolochia microstoma Are Pollinated by Phorid Flies and Emit Volatiles Known From Invertebrate Carrion |
| title_short | Flowers of Deceptive Aristolochia microstoma Are Pollinated by Phorid Flies and Emit Volatiles Known From Invertebrate Carrion |
| title_sort | flowers of deceptive aristolochia microstoma are pollinated by phorid flies and emit volatiles known from invertebrate carrion |
| topic | Aristolochiaceae deceptive pollination dimethyldisulfide 2 5-dimethylpyrazine floral scent |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.658441/full |
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