Lissopimpla excelsa
| Lissopimpla excelsa | |
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| Species: | L. excelsa
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| Lissopimpla excelsa Costa
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Lissopimpla excelsa. commonly known as the orchid dupe wasp, is a wasp of the family Ichneumonidae native to Australia. It pollinates all five Australian members of the orchid genus Cryptostylis . The male wasp mistakes the flower parts for a female wasp and attempts to copulate with it. Although the different species can occur together, they appear to inhibit cross-fertilisation and no hybrids are found in nature.[1] This discovery was made by Australian naturalist Edith Coleman in 1928, and the term coined was "pseudocopulation". The mimicking of flowers to resemble female wasp parts has since been recorded in other orchid genera.[2]
Although termed "pseudocopulation", vigorous copulation does occur, and the male wasp ejaculates enough so that the emissions are visible to the naked eye on the flower parts. A 2008 field study showed these to contain wasp sperm.[3]
References
- ^ Robert L. Dressler (1993). Phylogeny and classification of the orchid family. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 134. ISBN 0521450586. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
- ^ Rod Peakall (2007). "Pollination by Sexual Deception in Australian Terrestrial Orchids". Australian National University website. Canberra, ACT: Australian National University. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
- ^ A. C. Gaskett, C. G. Winnick, M. E. Herberstein (2008). "Orchid Sexual Deceit Provokes Ejaculation" (PDF). The American Naturalist. 171 (6): 000–000. doi:10.1086/587532. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
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