Epicephala (leafflower moths) is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.
Epicephala is of note in the fields of pollination biology and coevolution because many species in this genus are pollinators of plants in the genera Glochidion, Phyllanthus, and Breynia (Phyllanthaceae). These pollinating Epicephala actively pollinate the flowers of their host plants—thereby ensuring that the plants may produce viable seeds—but also lay eggs in the flowers' ovaries, where their larvae consume a subset of the developing seeds as nourishment.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] This relationship is similar to other specialized pollinating seed-predation mutualisms such as those between figs and fig wasps and yuccas and yucca moths.
Other species of Epicephala consume the seeds of species of Phyllanthus or Flueggea (Phyllanthaceae) as larvae, but do not pollinate their host plants as adults.[4][8] At least some of these species have evolved from pollinating ancestors.[9]
Epicephala (leafflower moths) is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae.
Epicephala is of note in the fields of pollination biology and coevolution because many species in this genus are pollinators of plants in the genera Glochidion, Phyllanthus, and Breynia (Phyllanthaceae). These pollinating Epicephala actively pollinate the flowers of their host plants—thereby ensuring that the plants may produce viable seeds—but also lay eggs in the flowers' ovaries, where their larvae consume a subset of the developing seeds as nourishment. This relationship is similar to other specialized pollinating seed-predation mutualisms such as those between figs and fig wasps and yuccas and yucca moths.
Other species of Epicephala consume the seeds of species of Phyllanthus or Flueggea (Phyllanthaceae) as larvae, but do not pollinate their host plants as adults. At least some of these species have evolved from pollinating ancestors.
Epicephala est un genre de lépidoptères (papillons) de la famille des Gracillariidae.
Epicephala est important pour l'anthécologie et la coévolution, car de nombreuses espèces de ce genre sont des pollinisateurs de plantes appartenant aux genres Glochidion, Phyllanthus et Breynia (Phyllanthaceae). Ces Epicephala pollinisateurs pollinisent activement les fleurs des plantes-hôtes, garantissant ainsi que les plantes peuvent produire des graines viables, mais pondent également dans les ovaires des fleurs, où leurs chenilles consomment un sous-ensemble des graines en développement[2]. Cette relation est semblable à celle d'autres mutualismes spécialisés dans la prédation des graines par la pollinisation, tels que ceux qui existent entre les Ficus et les guêpes du figuier, et entre les Yucca et les Prodoxidae.
Les chenilles d'autres espèces d’Epicephala consomment les graines d'espèces de Phyllanthus ou de Flueggea, mais ne pollinisent pas leurs plantes hôtes à l'âge adulte. Au moins certaines de ces espèces ont évolué d'ancêtres pollinisateurs[2].
Epicephala est un genre de lépidoptères (papillons) de la famille des Gracillariidae.
Epicephala is een geslacht van vlinders uit de familie mineermotten (Gracillariidae).
Het geslacht omvat de volgende soorten :
De Prins, J. & De Prins, W. (2014). Global Taxonomic Database of Gracillariidae (Lepidoptera). World Wide Web electronic publication (http://www.gracillariidae.net)
Epicephala là một chi bướm đêm thuộc họ Gracillariidae.
Epicephala là một chi bướm đêm thuộc họ Gracillariidae.
