榕树-榕小蜂的物种共形成

Co-speciation of Figs and Fig Wasps

榕树-榕小蜂的互惠共生是植物与其传粉者间相互作用的最极端的特例,几乎每一种榕树均由榕小蜂科的一种特定昆虫传粉,而它们的小蜂也只能在此特定榕树种的花内养育它们的幼虫,构成了高度的种专一性(一对一原则)。因此榕树及其传粉昆虫间的相互作用被看作是专性互惠共生的最极端特例,也引起人们对它们共趋异及物种形成的诸多推测。对目前榕树-榕小蜂的物种共形成的研究进行了回顾与阐述,希望能对全面认识这对完美的共生伙伴及物种共形成机制提供一些启示。

Figs （Ficus, Moraceae） and their pollinating wasps （Agaonidae） constitute the extreme example of interactions between plants and insects. Each fig species is pollinated by a single minute, pollen-bearing female wasp species that only depend on the particular fig syconia for the production of their offspring, so the relation is generally regarded as species-specific. However, exceptions to this ＇one to one rule＇ are discovered. The patterns of co-divergence and speciation are expected in fig-fig wasp relations owing to extreme host specificity. The paper elaborated the advance of co-speciation between figs and fig wasps, and it is useful to know the perfect pairs and the mechanism of co-speciation.