Diversity of Insect Flower Visitors of <i>Xylopia aromatica</i> (Magnoliales, Annonaceae) in a Brazilian Savanna
Fábio Pinheiro Saravy | Karl-L. Schuchmann | Marinez I. Marques
Small beetles are important pollinators of Annonaceae whose flower chambers are small and have diurnal and/or nocturnal anthesis. The pollinators of these flowers belong to the families Nitidulidae, Staphylinidae, Chrysomelidae, and Curculionidae. In this study, the first conducted in the <i>Cerrado</i> of Chapada dos Guimarães, Mato Grosso, Brazil, the behavior of the insect flower visitors of <i>Xylopia aromatica</i> was observed, in both the field and the laboratory. The chambers of 253 flowers were collected from 11 plants, and the biological aspects of their visitors were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The most abundant visitors were thrips and beetles. Coleoptera was represented by four morphospecies occurring frequently in the floral chambers (>70% of individuals). Among beetles, one species belonged to Nitidulidae (Cillaeinae, <i>Conotelus</i> sp. 1) and two belonged to Staphylinidae (Aleocharinae sp. 1 and Aleocharinae sp. 2). These three morphospecies of small elongate beetles have setae where pollen may adhere. In addition, they were present on both male and female phases of the flowers, indicating potential cross-pollination. In the study area, <i>X. aromatica</i> possesses mixed pollination promoted by Thysanoptera and small Nitidulidae and Staphylinidae beetles. This study brings the first record of Lamprosomatinae (Chrysomelidae) and, especially, of <i>Conotelus</i> (Nitidulidae) in the flower chambers of <i>X. aromatica</i>, with new information on behavior of floral visitors coupled with their morphological traits that may promote cross-pollination in this plant species.
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