| Abstrakt: |
An investigation of pseudocopulation behaviour in species of Ophrys from southern Spain confirms the close relationship between Campsoscolia ciliata ( Scoliidae) and Ophrys speculum, and between Eucera nigrilabris ( Apoidea) and Ophrys tenthredinifera. It could be demonstrated that Eucera barbiventris is the pollinator of Ophrys scolopax subsp. scolopax, whereas other species of Eucera and Tetralonia which are active at the same time show no interest at all for the flowers of this species. Special attention was paid to the forms of the taxonomically confused Ophrys fusca group: O. fusca s. str., O. iricolor, O. omegaifera and O. atlantica. While O. fusca s. str. is widespread, small-flowered and has late anthesis, O. iricolor has very large flowers and early anthesis. Each of the four members of O. fusca agg. in S. Spain is pollinated by a different bee, and selective experiments show that each of these four species of bees is specifically attracted only to one of the Ophrys species: Andrena flavipes is the pollinator of O. fusca s. str., Colletes cunicularius infuscatus of O. iricolor, Anthophora atroalba of O. omegaifera, and Chalicodoma parietina of O. atlantica. These four pollinators belong to 4 different bee families ( Andrenidae, Colletidae, Anthophoridae, Megachilidae). As this type of pollination represents a very effective pregamic isolation mechanism, these four taxa of Ophrys fusca agg., at least in southern Spain, behave and should be regarded as genuine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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