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Florivory by the Crab Armases angustipes (Grapsidae) Influences Hummingbird Visits to Aechmea pectinata (Bromeliaceae) 1
Author(s) -
Canela Maria Bernadete F.,
Sazima Marlies
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
biotropica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1744-7429
pISSN - 0006-3606
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2003.tb00287.x
Subject(s) - bromeliaceae , hummingbird , biology , ecology
Armases angustipes (Grapsidae) crabs were recorded on 31.5 percent of Aechmea pectinata inflorescences, a common ornithofilous bromeliad in rain forests of southeastern Brazil. Crabs foraged mainly in the morning and used newly opened flowers, usually damaging the corolla, consuming the stamens and stigma, and interfering with hummingbird visits. This florivory may reduce the reproductive success of A. pectinata , both directly through consumption of flowers and indirectly by reducing pollinator visits.