FIG WASPS! ONE CAN NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT THE OTHER
These tiny little wasps, pollinators of fig (aka fig wasp) are less than 2 mm in size. The female has a long ovipositor to insert the eggs inside the flowers, also pollinating them during the process.
The males in the second picture are wingless, and their only purpose is to fertilize the female and chew cavity out of the fruit so the emerging female can escape.
These wasps have an interesting mutualistic relation with the fig, where one can not survive without the other.
Also every species of fig plant have its own unique species of wasp that pollinates it.Hence both wasp and plant must survive for the existance of diversity.
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| Fig wasp (female with long ovipositor)  Fig wasp (male) |
Very informative
ReplyDeletePrecisely written article! Keep it up!
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