Anthophilous beetles ubiquitously inhabit night-blooming cacti but exhibit distinct responses to the spatial distribution of flowers

Night-blooming cacti, primarily pollinated by bats and hawkmoths, also attract beetles seeking food and safe shelter for mating and brooding their offspring. The influence of flower density on beetle visitation rates remains unclear, with responses varying by species and environmental factors. In th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 2024-01, Vol.96 (suppl 3), p.e20231361
Main Authors: Domingos-Melo, Arthur, Maia, Artur C D, Milet-Pinheiro, Paulo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
beetle pollination
Caatinga dry forest
Cactaceae - physiology
Coleoptera - physiology
Cyclocephalini
density‐dependence
Flowers - physiology
MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES
Nitidulidae
Pilosocereus
Pollination - physiology
Population Density
Seasons
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Summary:Night-blooming cacti, primarily pollinated by bats and hawkmoths, also attract beetles seeking food and safe shelter for mating and brooding their offspring. The influence of flower density on beetle visitation rates remains unclear, with responses varying by species and environmental factors. In the Caatinga Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest, we studied the flower occupancy distribution of two beetle species, Cyclocephala paraguayensis and Nitops aff. pilosocerei, in Pilosocereus pachycladus cacti. Our findings indicate that both beetle species act as commensals with minimal impact on effective pollination. They forage for nectar and pollen without causing damage to pistils or ovaries. N. aff. pilosocerei was more abundant than C. paraguayensis, and their distributions significantly differed, with N. aff. pilosocerei displaying a more uniform spread. Instances of both species occupying the same flower were more frequent than exclusive occupation. Nitops aff. pilosocerei abundance exhibited spatial autocorrelation. Flower height and beetle species influenced the total number of beetles within flowers. Future studies should explore the impact of cactus flower distribution on beetle abundance with other species, conduct selective pollination experiments to determine their role as pollinators, and investigate how flower-beetle interaction systems are affected by flower and individual distribution in processes like florivory and pollination.
ISSN:0001-3765
1678-2690
1678-2690
DOI:10.1590/0001-3765202420231361