Abstract
Vespicochory, seed dispersal by hornets, is an uncommon seed dispersal pattern in angiosperms. To date, this phenomenon has been recorded in only four families. Because of its rarity, the causes and consequences of vespicochory remain unclear. Hence, this seed dispersal syndrome is often regarded as anecdotal. Through field investigations, chemical analyses, electrophysiological tests, identification of chemosensory proteins from the antennae of hornets, and behavioral assays, we investigated whether olfactory and/or visual cues of the diaspores of Stemona tuberosa mediate the behavior of the social hornets and maintain their mutualism. This study demonstrated that the elaiosome of S. tuberosa emits hydrocarbons, which are attractive to hornets. However, these compounds, which induce responses in the antennae of naive hornets, are ubiquitous substances on insect cuticle surfaces. Innate preference and experienced foraging behavior of hornets can increase their seed dispersal efficiency. This is the first example in which hydrocarbons have been identified as a diaspore odour involved in the attraction of hornets. Given that the ubiquity of hornets, and the communication function of hydrocarbons in insects, we predict that this rare seed dispersal mechanism may be an overlooked mechanism of insect-plant mutualism.
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Claims 4
Claim · model-written summary
Stemona tuberosa elaiosomes emit hydrocarbons attractive to hornets.
- Taxon
- S. tuberosa
Stemona tuberosae0 - Organ / stage
- elaiosomee0
- Interactor
- hornetse0pollinator
- Outcome
- emits hydrocarbonse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This study demonstrated that the elaiosome of S. tuberosa emits hydrocarbons, which are attractive to hornets.”
Claim · model-written summary
The elaiosome hydrocarbons induced antennal responses in naive hornets.
- Taxon
- Stemona tuberosaStemona tuberosat0
- Interactor
- hornetse0pollinator
- Outcome
- responses in the antennae of naive hornetse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“these compounds, which induce responses in the antennae of naive hornets, are ubiquitous substances on insect cuticle surfaces”
t0“Stemona tuberosa”
Claim · model-written summary
Innate preference and experienced foraging behavior of hornets can increase seed dispersal efficiency.
- Taxon
- Stemona tuberosaStemona tuberosat0
- Interactor
- hornetse0pollinator
- Outcome
- seed dispersal efficiencye0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Qualifier
- Innate preference and experienced foraging behaviore0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Innate preference and experienced foraging behavior of hornets can increase their seed dispersal efficiency.”
t0“Stemona tuberosa”
Claim · model-written summary
Hydrocarbons were identified as a diaspore odor that attracts hornets.
- Taxon
- Stemona tuberosaStemona tuberosat0
- Interactor
- hornetse0pollinator
- Outcome
- diaspore odour involved in the attraction of hornetse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This is the first example in which hydrocarbons have been identified as a diaspore odour involved in the attraction of hornets.”
t0“Stemona tuberosa”