Moegistorhynchus longirostris

Moegistorhynchus longirostris is a keystone species of fly that lives on the west coast of South Africa.[1]

Moegistorhynchus longirostris
A photo of a pinned Moegistorhynchus longirostris
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Nemestrinidae
Genus: Moegistorhynchus
Species:
M. longirostris
Binomial name
Moegistorhynchus longirostris
(Wiedemann, 1819)
Map of South Africa, with shading indicating the species occurs in the western part of the country near the Pacific ocean

Anatomy

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M. longirostris has a very long proboscis that is believed to be the product of an evolutionary arms race between pollinating insects and long-tubed flowers.[1]

Ecology

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The species pollinates, partly or exclusively, at least 20 species of Iridaceae (such as Lapeirousia anceps),[2] Geraniaceae, and Orchidaceae.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Barraclough, David; Slotow, Rob (November 2010). "The South African Keystone Pollinator Moegistorhynchus longirostris (Wiedemann, 1819) (Diptera: Nemestrinidae): Notes on Biology, Biogeography and Proboscis Length Variation". African Invertebrates. 51 (2): 397–403. doi:10.5733/afin.051.0208. ISSN 1681-5556. S2CID 86127943.
  2. ^ "Lapeirousia anceps". www.biodiversityexplorer.info. Retrieved 2023-07-25.