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A probable pollination mode before angiosperms: Eurasian, long-proboscid scorpionflies.

Dong Ren¹, Conrad C Labandeira, Jorge A Santiago-Blay

¹College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|November 7, 2009

Summary

Mesozoic scorpionflies with long mouthparts fed on gymnosperm secretions, suggesting early pollination mutualisms. Their extinction coincided with the gymnosperm-to-angiosperm plant turnover.

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Area of Science:

Paleontology
Mesozoic insect evolution
Paleobotany

Background:

Extinct Eurasian scorpionflies from the Jurassic to Early Cretaceous period are analyzed.
These ancient insects possessed unique, elongated, tubular mouthparts (proboscides).
Their feeding habits are inferred to be linked to extinct gymnosperm plants.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the head and mouthpart morphology of 11 extinct scorpionfly species.
To understand the feeding ecology and plant interactions of these Mesozoic insects.
To explore the evolutionary implications of their specialized feeding structures.

Main Methods:

Morphological analysis of head and mouthpart structures in fossil scorpionflies.
Comparative analysis with known extinct gymnosperm taxa.
Paleoecological reconstruction based on fossil occurrences and plant associations.

Main Results:

Eleven species from three extinct scorpionfly families were studied, spanning a 62-million-year period.
These scorpionflies had siphonate proboscides adapted for feeding on gymnosperm ovular secretions (pollination drops).
Five potential gymnosperm host plants co-occurred with these insects, indicating potential pollination mutualisms.

Conclusions:

Scorpionflies engaged in pollination mutualisms with gymnosperms during the mid-Mesozoic, predating similar interactions with angiosperms.
The evolution of siphonate proboscides in scorpionflies was linked to feeding on gymnosperm pollination drops.
The extinction of these scorpionfly families occurred during the Early Cretaceous, coinciding with a global shift from gymnosperm to angiosperm dominance.