@article {23906, title = {{\textquoteleft}Bleeding{\textquoteright} flowers of Ceropegia gerrardii (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae) mimic wounded insects to attract kleptoparasitic fly pollinators}, journal = {New Phytologist}, volume = {239}, year = {2023}, month = {Apr-04-2023}, pages = {1490-1504}, abstract = {

Summary Kleptomyiophily, where flowers imitate wounded insects to attract \‘kleptoparasitic\’ flies as pollinators, is one of the most specialized types of floral mimicry and often involves physical trapping devices. However, the diversity of pollinators and functional floral traits involved in this form of mimicry remain poorly understood. We report a novel example of kleptomyiophily in the nontrapping flowers of Ceropegia gerrardii and explore the floral traits responsible for attracting pollinators. The pollinators, reproductive biology and floral traits (including epidermal surfaces, spectral reflectance and the composition of nectariferous petal secretions and scent) were investigated. Attractive volatiles were identified using electrophysiological and behavioural experiments. Ceropegia gerrardii was predominantly pollinated by kleptoparasitic Desmometopa spp. (Milichiidae) flies. The flower corollas extrude a protein- and sugar-containing secretion, similar to the haemolymph of wounded insects, on which the flies feed. Floral scent was chemically similar to that of injured honey bees. Four out of 24 electrophysiologically active compounds, all released by injured honey bees, were identified as key players in pollinator attraction. Our results suggest that C.\ gerrardii flowers chemically mimic wounded honey bees to attract kleptoparasitic flies and reward them with a secretion similar to the haemolymph on which they would normally feed.

}, keywords = {behavioural trap, Brachystelma, electroantennographic detection, floral scent, fly-pollination, haemolymph mimicry, honey bee mimicry, kleptoparasitism}, issn = {0028-646X, 1469-8137}, doi = {10.1111/nph.18888}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.18888}, author = {Heiduk, Annemarie and Brake, Irina and Shuttleworth, Adam and Johnson, Steven D.} } @inbook {23553, title = {Order Diptera, families Milichiidae and Carnidae}, booktitle = {Arthropod fauna of the UAE}, volume = {6}, year = {2017}, pages = {621-635}, keywords = {Carnidae, key, Milichiidae, new species, photos, United Arab Emirates}, author = {Deeming, J. C.} } @article {6773, title = {New records of some filth flies species (Diptera: Milichiidae) in Southwest Saudi Arabia}, journal = {Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences}, volume = {14}, year = {2007}, pages = {263-270}, abstract = {

A Malaise trap was used during different time periods between 2002 and 2006, in the Asir province of Saudi Arabia at different localities. Nine known species of Milichiidae (some of them of medical importance) have been identified. These are: Desmometopa m-nigrum (Zetterstedt, 1848); D. varipalpis Malloch 1927; D. singaporensis Kertesz 1899; Leptometopa rufifrons Becker 1903; L. latipes (Meigen 1830); L. nilssoni Sabrosky, 1987; Milichia pubescens Becker 1907; Milichiella lacteipennis (Loew 1866); Enigmilichia dimorphica Deeming, 1981, from South-Western Saudi Arabia, the last seven species of the above are recorded for the first time. Biological information and distribution of these species are included. The fauna of Milichiidae found in this study is much more of Afrotropical than Palaearctic origin.

}, author = {Dawah, H. A. and Abdullah, M. A.} } @book {3926, title = {Diptera Brachycera and Athericera of the Fiji Islands based on material in the British Museum (Natural History)}, year = {1928}, note = {Kopie, 161-163}, pages = {viii + 220 pp}, publisher = {British Museum (Nat. Hist.)}, organization = {British Museum (Nat. Hist.)}, address = {London}, keywords = {Desmometopa m-nigrum, Desmometopa singaporensis, Desmometopa tarsalis, Fiji, Milichia angustifrons, Milichiella lacteipennis, Milichiidae, museum, Orientalis, species description}, url = {http://milichiidae.info/sites/milichiidae.info/files/Bezzi_1928.pdf}, author = {Bezzi, M.} } @article {4262, title = {The genus Desmometopa Loew (Diptera, Milichiidae) of Japan}, journal = {Medical entomology and zoology}, volume = {47}, year = {1996}, pages = {347-353}, type = {article}, keywords = {Asia, biology, Desmometopa, Desmometopa m-nigrum, images, Japan, key, localities, microps, Milichiidae, singaporensis, sordida, varipalpis}, url = {http://milichiidae.info/sites/milichiidae.info/files/Iwasa\%20M_1996.pdf}, author = {Iwasa, M.} } @article {4162, title = {Milichiidae and Carnidae from Afghanistan}, journal = {Folia entomologica hungarica}, volume = {32}, year = {1979}, pages = {105-109}, type = {article}, keywords = {Afghanistan, Asia, Carnidae; Milichiidae [Germany / Central / Faunal characteristics, Desmometopa m-nigrum, Desmometopa microps, Desmometopa singaporensis, Desmometopa varipalpis, faunistics, Hemeromyia afghanica, Leptometopa latipes, Leptometopa niveipennis, Leptometopa rufifrons, Madiza glabra, Meoneura glaberrima, Meoneura hennigi, Meoneura prima, Meoneura subfreta, Milichiella lacteipennis, Milichiidae, species description}, url = {http://milichiidae.info/sites/milichiidae.info/files/Papp_1979_105.pdf}, author = {Papp, L.} } @article {4187, title = {A Synopsis of the world species of Desmometopa Loew (Diptera, Milichiidae)}, journal = {Contributions of the American Entomological Institute}, volume = {19(8)}, year = {1983}, pages = {1-69}, type = {article}, keywords = {biology, Desmometopa, distribution, genus description, key, Milichiidae, species description}, url = {http://milichiidae.info/sites/milichiidae.info/files/Sabrosky_1983.pdf}, author = {Sabrosky, C. W.} }