Major Flower Pigments Originate Different Colour Signals to Pollinators

Flower colour is mainly due to the presence and type of pigments. Pollinator preferences impose selection on flower that ultimately acts Knowing how pollinators perceive flowers with different pigments becomes crucial for a comprehensive understanding plant-pollinator communication evolution. Based space models, we studied whether main groups pollinators, specifically hymenopterans, dipterans, lepidopterans birds, differentially colours generated by major pigment groups. We obtain reflectance data conspicuousness containing one more frequent in flowers: chlorophylls, carotenoids flavonoids. Flavonoids were subsequently classified UV-absorbing flavonoids, aurones-chalcones anthocyanins cyanidin, pelargonidin, delphinidin, malvidin derivatives. found loci carotenoids, aurones-chalcones, occupied regions models these pollinators. The four produced unique cluster loci. Interestingly, differences among almost similar bee, fly, butterfly, bird visual models. Aurones-chalcones showed highest chromatic contrast values, displayed intermediate flavonoids presented lowest values. In model bees, (i.e., white flowers) achromatic contrasts. Ours findings suggest spite omnipresence floral angiosperms, generates higher functional