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Orchid sexual deceit provokes ejaculation.

A C Gaskett1, C G Winnick, M E Herberstein

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia. agaskett@bio.mq.edu.au

The American Naturalist
|April 25, 2008
PubMed
Summary
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Male insects tricked by deceptive orchids waste sperm, incurring significant costs. This sperm wastage paradoxically boosts orchid pollination success, especially in solitary, haplodiploid species.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Plant-Pollinator Interactions
  • Sexual Deception

Background:

  • Sexually deceptive orchids mimic female insects to attract male pollinators.
  • Pollinator costs associated with this deception were previously underestimated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the costs of sexual deception on pollinators.
  • To understand how deceptive pollination persists despite pollinator costs.

Main Methods:

  • Observational studies on Australian tongue orchids (Cryptostylis species).
  • Analysis of pollinator behavior, including ejaculation and sperm wastage.
  • Correlation of pollination success with pollinator behavior.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Pollinating insects frequently ejaculate, resulting in significant sperm wastage.
  • Orchid species inducing extreme pollinator responses exhibit higher pollination success.
  • Solitary, haplodiploid pollinators are key, as females can still produce male offspring.

    • Conclusions:

    • Pollinator sperm wastage represents a considerable cost, potentially driving coevolution.
    • Despite costs, sexual deception persists due to reproductive benefits for certain pollinator types.
    • Orchid mimicry and pollinator learning may be locked in an evolutionary arms race.