Micropterix elegans

Micropterix elegans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Micropterigidae
Genus:	Micropterix
Species:	M. elegans
Binomial name
	Micropterix elegans; Stainton, 1867
Synonyms
	Micropteryx octopunctella Amsel, 1935;

Micropterix elegans is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae that was described by Stainton in 1867,[1] and is endemic to Israel.

Adults are important pollinators of Cyclamen persicum. They feed on pollen, copulate and oviposit within the flowers. From the rarity of buzz-pollination on their host plant, it is thought that the genus Cyclamen co-evolved with large bees capable of buzz-pollination, but lost its original pollinators for unknown historical reasons. The vacant niche was then open to various unspecialized pollen consumers such as thrips, hoverflies and small solitary bees. These are not specific to C. persicum and seem to play a minor role only, while M. elegans strictly relies upon Cyclamen and seems to be the most efficient pollinator.[2]

References

Beccaloni, G.; Scoble, M.; Kitching, I.; Simonsen, T.; Robinson, G.; Pitkin, B.; Hine, A.; Lyal, C., eds. (2003). "Micropterix elegans". The Global Lepidoptera Names Index. Natural History Museum. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
Schwartz-Tzachor, Racheli; Dafni, Amotz; Potts, Simon G.; Eisikowitch, Dan (11 August 2006). "An ancient pollinator of a contemporary plant (Cyclamen persicum): When pollination syndromes break down". Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants. 201 (5): 370–373. doi:10.1016/j.flora.2005.07.011.

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[1] Beccaloni, G.; Scoble, M.; Kitching, I.; Simonsen, T.; Robinson, G.; Pitkin, B.; Hine, A.; Lyal, C., eds. (2003). "Micropterix elegans". The Global Lepidoptera Names Index. Natural History Museum. Retrieved April 21, 2018.

[2] Schwartz-Tzachor, Racheli; Dafni, Amotz; Potts, Simon G.; Eisikowitch, Dan (11 August 2006). "An ancient pollinator of a contemporary plant (Cyclamen persicum): When pollination syndromes break down". Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants. 201 (5): 370–373. doi:10.1016/j.flora.2005.07.011.