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

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

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

References
  1. 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.


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