First records of pollinators of two co-occurring Mediterranean Apocynaceae

Abstract

This article presents results of a field survey of pollinators of two Apocynaceae, Periploca laevigata subsp. angustifolia (Labill.) Markgraf (Periplocoideae) and Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br. (Asclepiadoideae) co-occurring on Lampedusa Island, Mediterranean sea. Fifteen species within nine families of Diptera have been identified as pollinators of the two plants. The families involved are Tephritidae, Milichiidae, Trixoscelididae, Scathophagidae, Anthomyiidae, Muscidae, Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Rhinophoridae. Families of Muscidae and Sarcophagidae are the more represented, respectively with four and three species. P. laevigata subsp. angustifolia seems to have a broader spectrum of pollinators, with 12 species of Diptera involved, while C. europaea has 8 species of Diptera as pollinators. Five species of Diptera are shared between the two plant species. The presented data are the first records of pollinators for P. laevigata subsp. angustifolia and C. europaea and confirm that both taxa are fly pollinated, though they do not conform exactly to the sapromyiophilous syndrome. The number of pollinators identified indicated that the morphological and functional floral specialization of the two taxa cover a wide number of pollinators with a similar biology.

Keywords:

• Apteranthes
• Asclepiapoideae
• Caralluma
• Diptera
• Lampedusa Island
• Periplocoideae
• Periploca

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to Dr. Jeff Ollerton for his critics, corrections, suggestions, and attention. They also thank the Director G. Nicolini and the staff of Riserva Naturale Orientata Isola di Lampedusa for the assistance and the logistic support. The authors are grateful to Paolo Giannotti, of Dep. Coltivazione e Difesa delle Specie Legnose “G. Scaramuzzi”, Sezione di Entomologia agraria, for valuable assistance in preparing the photographic documentation. Thanks are also due to Pietro Zito, Postgraduate student at the University of Palermo, for his help during the fieldtrips, advice, and constant presence.