02759nas a2200277   4500008004100000022002500041245015400066210007100220260001600291300001400307490000800321520184900329653002102178653001702199653003602216653001702252653002002269653002302289653002202312653002102334100002202355700001702377700002302394700002402417856004002441       2023                        eng d  a0028-646X, 1469-813700a‘Bleeding’ flowers of <i>Ceropegia gerrardii</i> (Apocynaceae‐Asclepiadoideae) mimic wounded insects to attract kleptoparasitic fly pollinators0 aBleeding flowers of iCeropegia gerrardiii Apocynaceae‐Asclepiado  cApr-04-2023  a1490-15040 v2393 a<p><jats title="">Summary</jats><jats p=""><jats list="" list-type="bullet"> <jats list-item=""><jats p="">Kleptomyiophily, where flowers imitate wounded insects to attract &lsquo;kleptoparasitic&rsquo; flies as pollinators, is one of the most specialized types of floral mimicry and often involves physical trapping devices. However, the diversity of pollinators and functional floral traits involved in this form of mimicry remain poorly understood. We report a novel example of kleptomyiophily in the nontrapping flowers of <jats italic="">Ceropegia gerrardii</jats> and explore the floral traits responsible for attracting pollinators.</jats></jats> <jats list-item=""><jats p="">The pollinators, reproductive biology and floral traits (including epidermal surfaces, spectral reflectance and the composition of nectariferous petal secretions and scent) were investigated. Attractive volatiles were identified using electrophysiological and behavioural experiments.</jats></jats> <jats list-item=""><jats p=""><jats italic="">Ceropegia gerrardii</jats> was predominantly pollinated by kleptoparasitic <jats italic="">Desmometopa</jats> spp. (Milichiidae) flies. The flower corollas extrude a protein‐ and sugar‐containing secretion, similar to the haemolymph of wounded insects, on which the flies feed. Floral scent was chemically similar to that of injured honey bees. Four out of 24 electrophysiologically active compounds, all released by injured honey bees, were identified as key players in pollinator attraction.</jats></jats> <jats list-item=""><jats p="">Our results suggest that <jats italic="">C.&thinsp;gerrardii</jats> flowers chemically mimic wounded honey bees to attract kleptoparasitic flies and reward them with a secretion similar to the haemolymph on which they would normally feed.</jats></jats> </jats></jats></p>
10abehavioural trap10aBrachystelma10aelectroantennographic detection10afloral scent10afly-pollination10ahaemolymph mimicry10ahoney bee mimicry10akleptoparasitism1 aHeiduk, Annemarie1 aBrake, Irina1 aShuttleworth, Adam1 aJohnson, Steven, D.  uhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.18888