Moegistorhynchus longirostris

{{short description|Species of fly}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Moegistorhynchus longirostris.JPG

| image_alt = A photo of a pinned Moegistorhynchus longirostris

| genus = Moegistorhynchus

| species = longirostris

| authority = (Wiedemann, 1819)

| range_map = Moegistorhynchus longirostris dist.png

| range_map_alt = Map of South Africa, with shading indicating the species occurs in the western part of the country near the Pacific ocean

}}

Moegistorhynchus longirostris is a keystone species of fly that lives on the west coast of South Africa.{{Cite journal |last1=Barraclough |first1=David |last2=Slotow |first2=Rob |date=November 2010 |title=The South African Keystone Pollinator Moegistorhynchus longirostris (Wiedemann, 1819) (Diptera: Nemestrinidae): Notes on Biology, Biogeography and Proboscis Length Variation |url=https://bioone.org/journals/african-invertebrates/volume-51/issue-2/afin.051.0208/The-South-African-Keystone-Pollinator-Moegistorhynchus-longirostris-Wiedemann-1819-Diptera/10.5733/afin.051.0208.full |journal=African Invertebrates |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=397–403 |doi=10.5733/afin.051.0208 |s2cid=86127943 |issn=1681-5556|doi-access=free }}

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.

Ecology

The species pollinates, partly or exclusively, at least 20 species of Iridaceae (such as Lapeirousia anceps),{{Cite web |title=Lapeirousia anceps |url=http://www.biodiversityexplorer.info/plants/iridaceae/lapeirousia_anceps.htm |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=www.biodiversityexplorer.info}} Geraniaceae, and Orchidaceae.

References