New records and notes on the ecology of African species of melyris fabricius (Coleoptera Melyridae), with discussion of pollination biology

2007·1.5 MB·

by  Jonathan R Mawdsley

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PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
109(4), 2007, pp. 960-962
Note
New Records and Notes on the Ecology of African Species of Melyris Fabricius
(Coleoptera: Melyridae), with Discussion of Polhnation Biology
The beetle genus Melyris Fabricius West African countries, including Benin,
contains 113 described species, most of Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal
which are known only from sub-Saharan (Champion 1919).
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Africa (Pic 1929, Peacock 1980). Adults Melyris alluaudi Pic. Kenya, Nai-
ofmany species in this genus are brightly robi, 12.1.1920 (1 adult). Previously
colored, with green, blue, violet, or known only from montane areas such
coppery iridescence. The adult beetles as the slopes of Mt. Kenya, Kilimanjaro,
are often abundant on flowers and and the Ruwenzori Mountains (Cham-
consequently many species are represent- pion 1919). The Nairobi record suggests
ed in museum collections by large series a broader distribution for this species
ofspecimens. Despite the abundance and within Kenya.
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attractive coloration of these beetles, Melyris nigripes Harold. Rhodesia,
very little has been published about Chingola Dist. X-XII.1960 (1 adult).
them, aside from an early taxonomic New country record. This species is
study by Champion (1919) and a cata- abundant in the Congo River basin and
logue of species by Pic (1929). In this there are also records from present-day
paper, I present new distributional rec- Malawi and Zambia (Champion 1919).
ords for five species, review the existing Melyris qiiadricollis Champion.
literature on the ecology ofspecies in this Ethiopia, Alemaya, 1.V.1913, in roses
genus, and describe field observations (7 adults), 26 IV.1964, in roses (7 adults).
made in South Africa in September, Known previously from only two local-
2006. ities in Ethiopia, with no information
In preparation for more detailed stud- available about floral associates (Cham-
ies of this group, I examined the collec- pion 1919). —
tion of Melyris species in the National Melyris sansibarica Harold. Kenya,
Museum of Natural History, Smithso- Makindu near Thabu on Athi River, IX-
nian Institution. During the course of 1956 (4 adults), Golini, IX-1934 (1
this curatorial work, I discovered the adult), Simba, VI-1934 (1 adult). Known
following specimens which represent new previously from only two localities, the
distribution records. For accuracy, I type locality of Zanzibar and Kitui,
have given the country and locality Kenya (Champion 1919). The new rec-
information exactly as it appears on the ords suggest a fairly broad distribution
original specimen labels, keeping in mind for this species within Kenya.
that in several cases these names have Very little has been published to date
changed since the specimens were col- on the ecology of species of Melyris.
lected and labeled. — Adults of species in this genus are found
Melyris abdorninalis Fabricius. Ivory on flowers, where they feed on nectar,
Coast, 23 km E of Toumodi, 12- pollen, and floral parts and may form
14.x.1971 (16 adults); Cote dTvoire, large feeding aggregations (Evans 1984).
Ferkessedougou (6 adults). New country Plant genera whose flowers are known to
record. This is a common species which be visited by these beetles include Acacia
has been previously reported from many (Mimosaceae), Delairea, Echinops, Heli-
VOLUME NUMBER
109, 4 961
chrysum (Asteraceae), Protea (Protea- dropped from the flowers or took flight,
ceae), and Rosa (Rosaceae) (Champion indicating that they have the potential to
1919, Evans 1984, Grobbelaar et al. move between inflorescences or even
2000, Iziko Museums of Cape Town trees.
2004). I report a collection of Melyris Further field investigations of the
from flowers of Brachylaena (Astera- pollination ecology of species of Melyris
ceae) for the first time below. are clearly indicated. Other potential
Many ofthe museum specimens that I directions for study are indicated by
examined were covered with dried nectar fascinating but fragmentary reports such
and/or pollen grains, suggesting that as that of Evans (1984), who reported
species of Melyris may function as that the Lebanese species Melyris bicolor
pollinators of the flowers they visit. F. is "distasteful to avian insectivores"
Pollination by melyrid beetles has been and "aposematic" in its coloration. The
confirmed in North America (Grant and possibility that some species of Melyris
Grant 1965) and South America (Medan are chemically defended should not be
1990). In South Africa, du Toit (1990) ruled out, as similar defenses are known
investigated the pollination efficiencies to occur in species of the related family
of the introduced melyrid Astylus atro- Cleridae (Mawdsley 2002).
maculatus Blanchard in plantations of Another interesting report is that of
commercial sunflowers {Helianthus an- Nash (1933), who reported that larvae of
imus L.). Under the experimental condi- Melyris pallidiventris Pic were predators
tions established by du Toit, commercial of the puparia of the tsetse fly Glossina
sunflowers pollinated by A. atromacula- morsitans Westwood (Diptera: Glossini-
tus have higher seed set (76% versus dae). The melyrid larvae were found only
72%) than flowers pollinated by honey- in the laboratory, not "in the bush;"
bees {Apis mellifera L., Hymenoptera: however, in the laboratory they were
Apidae). Given that the genus Astylus abundant enough to become a "nui-
Castelnau is closely related to Melyris sance" (Nash 1933). Clearly, further
(essentially forming its South American investigations of the larvae and larval
counterpart within the subfamily Melyr- biology of Melyris species are needed in
inae), it seems likely that species of areas where tsetse flies are endemic, to
Melyris also serve as pollinators. determine whether or not these beetles
On September 3 and 4, 2006, I visited are actually significant predators of the
the National Botanic Garden in Pretoria, flies in natural settings.
South Africa, where I observed adults of For assistance with the field portion of
Melyris natalensis Boheman on flowers this study, I thank Ralph and Alice
of the tree Brachylaena elliptica (Thun- Mawdsley ofCleveland State University,
berg) DeCandolle (Asteraceae). The me- as well as Hendrik Sithole and Freek
lyrid beetles were the most numerous Venter of South Africa National Parks.
visitors to these flowers; other floral For permission to examine specimens in
visitors included syrphid flies (Diptera: their care, I thank Natalia Vandenberg,
Syrphidae), halictid bees (Hymenoptera: Systematic Entomology Laboratory,
Halictidae), and honeybees. Each termi- USDA, and Terry Erwin, National
nal flower cluster had 2-8 beetles pres- Museum of Natural History, Smithso-
ent. The beetles fed on pollen and were nian Institution. Enid Peacock, formerly
observed crawling from flower to flower of The Natural History Museum, Lon-
during the course of feeding. Pollen don, identified many ofthNeMspNecHimens of
grains were observed adhering to the species of Melyris in the collec-
beetles. When disturbed, the beetles tion.
)
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
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Jonathan R. Mawdsley. Research
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