Foraging specificity of Tetralonia (Thygatina) macroceps (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Anthophorinae) on Argyreia cuneata (Convolvulaceae)

Floral specificity is a behavior that evolved due to mutualistic interactions between the plant-pollinator community. Flowers advertise themselves using visual or chemical cues attract pollinators and gain reproductive success through pollination. Pollinators forage for rewards such as nectar pollen produced by flowers. We found an anthophorid bee, Tetralonia macroceps, foraged specifically on Argyreia cuneata No visitation was observed flowers of A. nervosa though both belong Convolvulaceae. T. macroceps most abundant floral visitor (5.21 bees/flower/5 min) did not visit nervosa. Mass flowering narrow tubular flower structure with easy access in were traits accounted foraging macroceps. The present study investigates preference extracts bee visited 10.16 flowers/5 min cuneata. highly attracted bees abundance relatively higher compared Pollen analysis revealed selective towards highest number preferred extract (7.75) (0.50) Y-olfactory maze. caused neuronal electroantennogram (EAG) response (1.48 mV) than (0.36 mV). Our preliminary studies indicated presence specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) nonacosane (13.26%), hexatriacontane (12.06%), beta farnesene (6.19%) absent congener