Explain pollination by animals with examples in detail

Explanation

Some animals are also responsible for pollination. Bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, wasps, ants, moths, birds and (sunbirds and humming birds) and bats are the common pollinating agents. Among the animals, insects, particularly bees are the dominant biotic pollinating agents. Even larger animals such as some primates (lemurs), arboreal (tree dwelling) rodents, or even reptiles (gecko lizard and garden lizard) have also been reported as pollinators in some species. Often flowers of animals pollinated plants are specifically adapted for a particular species of animal. Majority of insect pollinated flowers are large, colourful, fragrant and rich in nectar. When the flowers are small, a number of flowers are clustered into an iflorescence to make them conspicuous. Animals are attracted to flowers by colour and/or fragrance. Flower pollinated by flies and beetles secrete foul odours to attract these animals. To sustain animals visits, the flowers have to provide rewards to the animals. Nectar and pollen grains are the usual floral rewards to the animals. For harvesting the rewards from the flower the animal visitor comes in contact with the anthers and the stigma. The body of the animals gets a coating of pollen grains.

The flowers pollinated by animals are generally sticky. When the animal carrying pollen on its body comes in contact with the stigma, it brings about pollination. In some species floral rewards are in providing safe places to lay eggs, an example is that of the tallest flower of Amorphophallus (The flower itself is about 6 feet in height). A similar relationship exists between a species of moth and the plant Yucca where both species-moth and the plant cannot complete their cycles without each other. The moth deposits its eggs in the locule of the ovary and the flower, in turn gets pollinated by the moth. The larvae of the moth come out of the eggs as the seeds start developing. (Note: observe the plants around you and observe animals visiting if and do study whether they are pollinators or not). Many insects use pollen grain and nectar without doing pollination. These floral visitors are referred to as pollen/nectar robbers