Passiflora-animal interactions: state of the art

1.AMELA GARCÍA, M. T.

CABA

Simposio; 32nd New Phytologist Symposium; 2013

New Phytologist Trust

Passiflora is an interesting genus that allows for the study of different plant?animal interactions.These tropical vines are characterized by unusual flowers, varied fruits, diverse leaf shapes,extrafloral nectaries and cyanogenic glycosides. These traits interrelate with animals with specificspecialisations. Through several years of research, information has been gathered on these aspects,strengthened by observations in the field and from the literature. Although various pollinationsyndromes have developed, melittophily is the most widespread, and this is exemplified by a strongco-adaptation with Xylocopa bees, followed by ornitophily. Ornitochory is the best representedmode of dispersal. Heliconiine caterpillars are able to overcome the genus? chemical defences,however, extrafloral nectaries resemble lepidopteran eggs and foliar polymorphisms minimisebutterfly laying, indeed even the ants which patrol the nectaries only temporarily deter the chewinglarvae. Halticinae chrysomelid beetles, whose whole life cycle develops in these plants, with anunknown degree of specificity, may sequester the chemicals and use them in their own defence, asimplied by their warning coloration and hemolymph release. Specialization of both herbivore guildsseems to be correlated with passionvine systematics. Some coreid bugs succeed on certainPassiflora species, but not in others. Here, updated knowledge is presented of these, as well as otherless specialized interactions, assessments on the ecological conditioning factors are made, and thepossible evolutionary pathways are shown.