@article {23052, title = {A new orchid species expands Darwin{\textquoteright}s predicted pollination guild in Madagascar}, journal = {Current Biology}, volume = {34}, year = {2024}, month = {11/03/2024}, pages = {R189-R190}, chapter = {R189}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, COELONIA, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, SOLENANGIS, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.012}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378867402_A_new_orchid_species_expands_Darwin\%27s_predicted_pollination_guild_in_Madagascar/references}, author = {Farminh{\~a}o, J. and Savignac, M. and Droissart, V. and Lowry_II, P.P. and Rajaonarivelo, N. and Rajaonarivelo, B. and Verlynde, S. and Todivelo, A. and St{\'e}vart, T.} } @article {22753, title = {Diversity and abundance of a pollinator group: hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in forests and surrounding farmlands, East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania}, journal = {International Journal of Environmental Sciences \& Natural Resources}, volume = {31}, year = {2022}, month = {10/2022}, pages = {556307}, chapter = {556307}, abstract = {

\"Pollinators are now facing a drastic biodiversity fall in various parts of our world. In Africa data to measure and monitor their biodiversity trend is still inadequate and concentrated more on some insect pollinator groups, especially bees and butterflies. In this study, hawkmoth diversity and abundance in East Usambara Mountains were assessed. Data collection was conducted from three different habitat types that included thick vegetation assemblage with canopy cover, edges of the forest, and farmlands between 2017 and 2019. Hawkmoths were captured using a UV-light trap 250W mercury bulb in 12 sampling sites. A total of 35 hawkmoth species and 991 individuals belonging to the family Sphingidae were identified. The highest hawkmoth abundance was recorded from forest edges (p \< 0.05). Canopy cover and farmlands showed lower hawkmoth abundance. Accordingly, higher Shannon Weiner diversity indices were recorded from canopy cover and forest edges (p \< 0.05). Farmlands had the lowest Shannon Weiner diversity index. Differences in diversity and abundance of hawkmoths among three habitat types suggest that accelerating anthropogenic factors has led to the destruction of natural habitats. Meanwhile, natural habitat destruction has often been found to exert adverse effects on biodiversity. Moreover, the decline in biodiversity of pollinator insects like hawkmoths hinders the vital pollination service to both crops and wild flora. East Usambara Mountains are still an important refuge for many species that become restricted to different environments due to climate change and anthropogenic pressure, hence calling for regular pollinator conservation and monitoring. This study will provide the baseline data on hawkmoth species richness, abundances and diversity for potential conservation and monitoring programs.\"

}, keywords = {ABUNDANCE, ACHERONTIA, AGRIUS, ANDRIASA, BASIOTHIA, CENTROCTENA, CEPHONODES, CHLOROCLANIS, COELONIA, CONSERVATION, DAPHNIS, DIVERSITY, EASTERN ARC MOUNTAINS, EUCHLORON, FALCATULA, HABITAT DISTURBANCE, HIPPOTION, MACROGLOSSUM, MACROPOLIANA, NEOCLANIS, NEPHELE, PANTOPHAEA, POLLINATION, POLYPTYCHUS, PSEUDOCLANIS, SHANNON-WEINER INDEX, SPHINGIDAE, TANZANIA, TEMNORA, THERETRA, USAMBARA, WORLDMAP1, XANTHOPAN}, doi = {10.19080/IJESNR.2022.31.556307}, author = {Sallema, A.E. and Selemani, S.S.} } @article {22675, title = {Pollination of the long-spurred African terrestrial orchid Bonatea steudneri by long-tongued hawkmoths, notably Xanthopan morganii}, journal = {Plant Systematics and Evolution}, volume = {305}, year = {2019}, month = {08/2019}, pages = {765-775}, chapter = {765}, abstract = {

\"Charles Darwin correctly predicted the existence of an extraordinarily long-tongued hawkmoth in Madagascar, based on the length of the floral spur of an Angraecum orchid. This hawkmoth, Xanthopan morganii, is also the longest-tongued hawkmoth on the African mainland, but its ecological role as a pollinator has been virtually unknown outside of Madagascar. We investigated whether X. morganii pollinates Bonatea steudneri, an orchid with floral spurs that vary from 10 to 21 cm in length among populations. At a forest locality in central Kenya, we observed X. morganii individuals with tongues ca. 16 cm in length pollinating B. steudneri plants with spurs ca. 15 cm in length. At other localities in Kenya, we observed visits by the hawkmoths Agrius convolvuli (tongue c. 12 cm) and Coelonia fulvinotata (tongue ca. 10 cm). Pollinaria of B. steudneri are attached to the eyes of hawkmoth visitors. Flowers of B. steudneri show several adaptations for hawkmoth pollination, including anthesis at dusk and nocturnal emission of scent dominated by the volatile compound linalool. This study highlights the potential for predicting certain highly specialized interactions among species by matching of their respective morphological dimensions.\"

}, keywords = {AGRIUS, ANGRAECUM, BONATEA, COELONIA, COEVOLUTION, FLORAL SCENT, KENYA, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SPECIFICITY, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, doi = {10.1007/s00606-019-01605-2}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-019-01605-2}, author = {Balducci, M.G. and Martins, D.J. and Johnson, S.D.} } @article {22368, title = {A new taxonomic status for Darwin{\textquoteright}s "predicted" pollinator: Xanthopan praedicta stat. nov. (Lepidoptera Sphingidae Sphinginae)}, journal = {Antenor}, volume = {8}, year = {2021}, month = {09/2021}, pages = {69-86}, chapter = {69}, abstract = {

\"The taxonomic status of the famous Malagasy hawkmoth known as \“Darwin\’s Moth\” or \“Wallace\’s Sphinx Moth\” is revised after a thorough integrative study combining comparative analyses of morphological characters (\"habitus\", genitalia, proboscis length, etc.) and molecular data (DNA barcoding essentially). While the existence of this long-tongued, large moth in Madagascar had been predicted by Charles DARWIN (in 1862), who considered such insect as the probable pollinator of the endemic, long-spurred orchid Angraecum sesquipedale Thouars, 1822, the discovery and description of this moth occurred about two decades after Darwin\’s death. it was named praedicta by Lord Walter ROTHSCHILD and Karl JORDAN, in 1903, in reference to Alfred Russel WALLACE\&$\#$39;\’s prediction (in 1867, about a hawkmoth pollinator) and has always been regarded, until now, as a subspecies of Xanthopan morganii (Walker, 1856), a species known to occur in the continental afrotropical region (remarkably, the hawkmoth species envisioned by WALLACE to be a possible close relative of the hypothetical pollinator of A. sesquipedale). We propose to raise the taxon praedicta to species rank on account of several clear-cut morphological differences and a high genetic divergence (ca. 7.8 \% for the DNA barcode) with the African and Comorian taxon X. morganii. Delimiting species with such criteria is indeed presently considered an appropriate method in the case of allopatric taxa (within the framework of the Biological Species Concept). Our work reveals that the proboscides of Xanthopan morganii and Xanthopan praedicta differ significantly in average length (with a difference of ca. 6.6 cm), suggesting a probable adaptation to different sets of visited flower species.\"

}, keywords = {ADULT MORPHOLOGY, AFRICA, ANGRAECUM, BARCODING, CATALOGUE, COI, COMORO ISLANDS, DNA, FEMALE GENITALIA, MADAGASCAR, MALE GENITALIA, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SPECIFICITY, PROBOSCIS, SPECIES CONCEPTS, SPECIES DELIMITATION, SPHINGIDAE, WING LENGTH, XANTHOPAN}, issn = {2275-9298}, author = {Minet, J. and Basquin, P. and Haxaire, J. and Lees, D.C. and Rougerie, R.} } @article {21548, title = {Long-spurred Angraecum orchids and long-tongued sphingid moths on Madagascar: a time frame for Darwin{\textquoteright}s predicted Xanthopan/Angraecum coevolution}, journal = {Biological Journal of the Linnean Society}, volume = {122}, year = {2017}, month = {07/2017}, pages = {469-478}, chapter = {469}, abstract = {

\"Trait matching between the Madagascan orchid Angraecum sesquipedale, with a nectar spur of 33 cm, and a hawkmoth with a tongue almost as long has fascinated biologists since Darwin, who saw only flowers but correctly predicted the moth pollinator. This moth, Xanthopan morgani praedicta, was described from museum specimens in 1903 and documented as the pollinator in photographs and film in 1992 and 2004. However, Madagascar harbours c. 30 species of long-spurred orchids and seven species of long-tongued hawkmoths, and mutualisms between moths and \‘Angraecum and other deep tubular flowers\’ (Darwin, 1862: p. 202) probably involve a network of interacting species. We infer the evolutionary time over which Madagascan sphingids and Angraecum have interacted, based on an orchid phylogeny that includes 62 of 144 Angraecum species on Madagascar and a moth phylogeny with all nine Madagascan Sphinginae. Clock models using either rate- or fossil-based calibrations imply that the Madagascan subspecies X. morgani praedicta and the African morgani diverged 7.4 \± 2.8 Mya, which overlaps the divergence of An. sesquipedale from its sister, Angraecum sororium, namely 7.5 \± 5.2 Mya; since both have extremely long spurs, long spurs probably existed before that. The phylogenies moreover show that several long-tongued moths and long-spurred orchids probably coevolved on Madagascar since the mid-Miocene, although field data on the moths\’ levels of polyphagy and pollen transport are lacking.\"

}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, CAD, COEVOLUTION, COI, DARWIN, DDC, EF-1ALPHA, EVOLUTION, MADAGASCAR, MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD, MOLECULAR CLOCK, ORCHIDACEAE, PHYLOGENY, POLLINATION, PROBOSCIS, SPHINGIDAE, WINGLESS}, doi = {10.1093/biolinnean/blx086}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blx086}, author = {Netz, C. and Renner, S.S.} } @article {21480, title = {Wallace{\textquoteright}s moth and Darwin{\textquoteright}s orchid}, volume = {2017}, number = {27/06/2017}, year = {2017}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, MADAGASCAR, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, doi = {10.13140/RG.2.2.35778.38087}, author = {Beccaloni, G.W.} } @article {20949, title = {Angraecum-Orchideen und langr{\"u}sslige Schw{\"a}rmer, Best{\"a}ubung und Evolution}, journal = {Die Orchideen}, volume = {66}, year = {2015}, month = {06/2015}, pages = {175-181}, chapter = {175}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, COELONIA, COEVOLUTION, ORCHIDACEAE, PANOGENA, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SHIFT, PREDATION, PREDATOR AVOIDANCE, PROBOSCIS, SPHINGIDAE, SPIDERS, SWING HOVERING, XANTHOPAN}, author = {Wasserthal, L.T.} } @proceedings {20794, title = {Evolution of long-tongued hawkmoths and pollination of long-spurred Angraecum orchids}, year = {2013}, pages = {280-284}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, BEHAVIOUR, COELONIA, ORCHIDACEAE, PANOGENA, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SHIFT, POLLINATOR SPECIFICITY, SPHINGIDAE, SPIDERS, SWING HOVERING, XANTHOPAN}, author = {Wasserthal, L.T.} } @article {20497, title = {Deep flowers for long tongues}, journal = {Trends in Ecology and Evolution}, volume = {13}, year = {1998}, month = {11/1998}, pages = {459-460}, chapter = {459}, keywords = {AGRIUS, BEHAVIOUR, COELONIA, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SHIFT, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, author = {Wasserthal, L.T.} } @article {20496, title = {The pollinators of the Malagasy Star Orchids Angraecum sesquipedale, A. sororium and A. compactum and the evolution of extremely long spurs by pollinator shift}, journal = {Botanica Acta}, volume = {110}, year = {1997}, month = {1997}, pages = {343-359}, chapter = {343}, abstract = {

\"The pollination process of the extremely long-spurred orchids Angraecum sesquipedale and A. sororium is described and documented here for the first time. The pollinaria and viscidia load was examined in moths captured in central and south Madagascar. Visits to orchids by hawkmoths were rarely observed in the field and were therefore systematically recorded in large flight tents using a night-vision video technique and flashlight photography. Angraecum sesquipedale in Fort Dauphin is pollinated by Xanthopan morgani praedicta and A. sororium on Mt. Angavokely by Coelonia solani. By combining a deep nectar spur of extraordinary length with a protruding labellum functioning as a landing platform, these orchids overcome the moth\&$\#$39;s stereotypic swing-hovering flight thus enabling full insertion of the long tongue. Angraecum compactum in For\êt d\&$\#$39;Ambohitantely is pollinated by both the shorter and longer-tongued forms of Panogena lingens which never swing-hover but is also exploited by X. morgani and C. solani with wastage of pollinaria. The duration of tongue insertion, nectar exploitation and tongue withdrawal were analyzed: legitimate and illegitimate visitors differ in their time budget and approach to the flower. Nectar volume, nectar level and sugar concentration of A. sesquipedale and A. sororium were compared with the nectar requirements of the pollinating hawkmoths. The evolution of very long spurs in these orchids is likely to have involved a series of pollinator shifts. The orchids adapted to different hawkmoth species with increasingly long tongues which primarily evolved to avoid predator attacks during visits to less specialized flowers. This \“pollinator shift\” model modifies the classical \“coevolutionary race\” model. The relevance of the taxon Angraecum bosseri Senghas is questioned.\"

}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, BEHAVIOUR, COELONIA, COEVOLUTION, ORCHIDACEAE, PANOGENA, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SHIFT, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1438-8677.1997.tb00650.x}, author = {Wasserthal, L.T.} } @article {20495, title = {Of hawkmoth species with long "tongues". Tropical biocenoses}, journal = {German Research. Reports of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft}, volume = {1996}, year = {1996}, month = {1996}, pages = {22-24}, chapter = {22}, keywords = {AGRIUS, BEHAVIOUR, COELONIA, ORCHIDACEAE, PANOGENA, POLLINATION, PREDATION, PREDATOR AVOIDANCE, SPHINGIDAE, SPIDERS, XANTHOPAN}, author = {Wasserthal, L.T.} } @inbook {20492, title = {Swing-hovering combined with long tongue in hawkmoths, an antipredator adaptation during flower visits. Pp. 77-87 in}, booktitle = {Animal-plant interactions in tropical environments}, year = {1993}, month = {1993}, pages = {227}, publisher = {Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig}, organization = {Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig}, address = {Bonn}, keywords = {AGRIUS, BEHAVIOUR, CLASSIFICATION, COELONIA, COEVOLUTION, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, PREDATION, PREDATOR AVOIDANCE, SPHINGIDAE, SPIDERS, SWING HOVERING, XANTHOPAN}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262001569_Animal-plant_interactions_in_tropical_environments}, author = {Wasserthal, L.T.}, editor = {Barthlott, W. and Naumann, C.M. and Schmidt-Loske, K. and Schuchmann, K.L.} } @mastersthesis {20126, title = {Long-spurred orchids and their pollinators - an investigation into multiple hypotheses to explain some of Darwin{\textquoteright}s contrivances}, year = {2013}, month = {2013}, pages = {40}, school = {The Open University}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, COEVOLUTION, DARWIN, DIPTERA, DISA, GLADIOLUS, MOEGISTORHYNCHUS, NEMESTRINIDAE, ORCHIDACEAE, PLATANTHERA, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SHIFT, POLLINATOR SPECIFICITY, PROBOSCIS, REVIEW, SOUTH AFRICA, SPHINGIDAE, SPIDERS, TABANIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, author = {Staller, E.} } @article {19408, title = {Deep flowers for long tongues}, journal = {Trends in Ecology and Evolution}, volume = {13}, year = {1998}, month = {07/1998}, pages = {259-260}, chapter = {259}, keywords = {MADAGASCAR, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SHIFT, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, url = {https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/pdf/S0169-5347(98)01359-7.pdf}, author = {Nilsson, L.A.} } @article {19224, title = {Orchid pollination: from Darwin to the present day}, journal = {Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society of London}, volume = {161}, year = {2009}, month = {09/2009}, pages = {1-19}, chapter = {1}, abstract = {

\"In this year celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Darwin and the sesquicentennial of the publication of Darwin\&$\#$39;s On the Origin of Species, the present paper aims to assess the impact of Darwin\&$\#$39;s legacy on the history of orchid pollination biology. To illustrate the major contribution of Darwin to this fascinating biological field, we focus on the large angraecoid orchid group and propose an overview of the complex relationships that these orchids have developed with specific pollinators. We further discuss how Darwin\&$\#$39;s seminal work on the angraecoid orchid Angraecum sesquipedale triggered the beginning of a long debate about the evolution of long floral spurs and why his idea of reciprocal evolution or \‘coevolution\’ was one of the great contributions to evolutionary biology.\"

}, keywords = {AGRIUS, ANGRAECUM, BIRDS, COELONIA, DAPHNIS, DARWIN, HIPPOTION, MADAGASCAR, MASCARENE ISLANDS, NEPHELE, ORCHIDACEAE, PANOGENA, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SHIFT, POLLINATOR SPECIFICITY, REVIEW, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, doi = {10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00995.x}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article/161/1/1/2418453}, author = {Micheneau, C. and Johnson, S.D. and Fay, M.F.} } @article {18856, title = {Darwin{\textquoteright}s Madagascan hawk moth prediction}, journal = {American Entomologist}, volume = {37}, year = {1991}, month = {10/1991}, pages = {206-210}, chapter = {206}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, MADAGASCAR, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR SPECIFICITY, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/ae/article/37/4/206/2474343}, author = {Kritsky, G.} } @article {17552, title = {Einzeldarstellungen zu madagassischen Schmetterlingen}, journal = {Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Iris}, volume = {57}, year = {1944}, month = {1944}, pages = {102-126}, chapter = {102}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, IMMATURE STAGES, MADAGASCAR, NEPHELE, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, author = {Denso, P.} } @article {16672, title = {{\textquoteright}Good Heavens what insect can suck it{\textquoteright} - Charles Darwin, Angraecum sesquipedale and Xanthopan morganii praedicta}, journal = {Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society of London}, volume = {169}, year = {2012}, month = {2012}, pages = {403-432}, chapter = {403}, keywords = {ANGRAECUM, COEVOLUTION, DARWIN, MADAGASCAR, ORCHIDACEAE, POLLINATION, REVIEW, SPHINGIDAE, XANTHOPAN}, author = {Arditti, J. and Elliott, J. and Kitching, I.J. and Wasserthal, L.T.} }