Moegistorhynchus longirostris is a keystone species of fly that lives on the west coast of South Africa.[1]
| Moegistorhynchus longirostris | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Nemestrinidae |
| Genus: | Moegistorhynchus |
| Species: | M. longirostris
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| Binomial name | |
| Moegistorhynchus longirostris (Wiedemann, 1819)
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Anatomy edit
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 edit
The species pollinates, partly or exclusively, at least 20 species of Iridaceae (such as Lapeirousia anceps),[2] Geraniaceae, and Orchidaceae.[1]
References edit
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Lapeirousia anceps". www.biodiversityexplorer.info. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
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