| Title: | Sexual deception of a beetle pollinator through floral mimicry |
| Author(s): | Cohen C; Liltved WR; Colville JF; Shuttleworth A; Weissflog J; Svatos A; Bytebier B; Johnson SD; |
| Address: | "FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa. Compton Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Newlands, Cape Town 7735, South Africa. Kirstenbosch Research Centre, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Newlands, Cape Town 7735, South Africa; Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa. Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa. Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoll-Str. 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany. Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa. Electronic address: johnsonsd@ukzn.ac.za" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.037 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-0445 (Electronic) 0960-9822 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Sexual mimicry is a complex multimodal strategy used by some plants to lure insects to flowers for pollination.(1-4) It is notable for being highly species-specific and is typically mediated by volatiles belonging to a restricted set of chemical compound classes.(3)(,)(4) Well-documented cases involve exploitation of bees and wasps (Hymenoptera)(5)(,)(6) and flies (Diptera).(7-9) Although beetles (Coleoptera) are the largest insect order and are well known as pollinators of both early and modern plants,(10)(,)(11) it has been unclear whether they are sexually deceived by plants during flower visits.(12)(,)(13) Here we report the discovery of an unambiguous case of sexual deception of a beetle: male longhorn beetles (Chorothyse hessei, Cerambycidae) pollinate the elaborate insectiform flowers of a rare southern African orchid (Disa forficaria), while exhibiting copulatory behavior including biting the antennae-like petals, curving the abdomen into the hairy lip cleft, and ejaculating sperm. The beetles are strongly attracted by (16S,9Z)-16-ethyl hexadec-9-enolide, a novel macrolide that we isolated from the floral scent. Structure-activity studies(14)(,)(15) confirmed that chirality and other aspects of the structural geometry of the macrolide are critical for the attraction of the male beetles. These results demonstrate a new biological function for plant macrolides and confirm that beetles can be exploited through sexual deception to serve as pollinators" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Bees *Coleoptera *Diptera Flowers Insecta Macrolides *Orchidaceae *Pollination *Wasps (16S, 9Z)-16-ethyl hexadec-9-enolide Cerambycidae Disa Gc-ead Gc-hrms Orchidaceae chemical synthesis longhorn beetles macrolide pheromone pollination;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineCohen, Callan Liltved, William R Colville, Jonathan F Shuttleworth, Adam Weissflog, Jerrit Svatos, Ales Bytebier, Benny Johnson, Steven D eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2021/03/27 Curr Biol. 2021 May 10; 31(9):1962-1969.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.037. Epub 2021 Mar 25" |
