Eur. J. Entomol. 113: 497-501, 2016 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2016.065

Settling moths as potential pollinators of Uncaria rhynchophylla (Rubiaceae)Note

Daichi FUNAMOTO, Shinji SUGIURA
Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan; e-mails: dai.funamoto@gmail.com, sugiura.shinji@gmail.com

Nocturnal pollinators such as moths have received less attention than diurnal insects. To elucidate whether nocturnal moths are important pollinators, we observed both the diurnal and nocturnal visitors to the flowers of Uncaria rhynchophylla (Rubiaceae) in a warm-temperate forest in central Japan. The diurnal visitors included various taxonomic groups (e.g., bees, hoverflies and butterflies). The nocturnal visitors were exclusively moths (Geometridae, Erebidae, Noctuidae and Crambidae). Pollen grains of U. rhynchophylla were attached to both diurnal and nocturnal visitors. Although diurnal flower visitors carried pollen grains of other plant species, nocturnal moths did not carry heterospecific pollen grains. These results suggest that nocturnal moths, as well as diurnal insects, are important pollinators of U. rhynchophylla.

Keywords: Key words. Lepidoptera, Crambidae, Geometridae, Erebidae, Noctuidae, floral visitors, generalized pollination system, nocturnal moths

Received: July 11, 2016; Revised: August 22, 2016; Accepted: August 22, 2016; Published online: September 27, 2016  Show citation

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FUNAMOTO, D., & SUGIURA, S. (2016). Settling moths as potential pollinators of Uncaria rhynchophylla (Rubiaceae). EJE, 113, Article 497-501. https://doi.org/10.14411/eje.2016.065
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