Wolbachia in Antarctic terrestrial invertebrates: Absent or undiscovered?

Interactions between a host organism and its associated microbiota, including symbiotic bacteria, play a crucial role in host adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Antarctica provides a unique environment for the establishment and maintenance of symbiotic relationships. One of the most extensively studied symbiotic bacteria in invertebrates is Wolbachia pipientis, which is associated with a wide variety of invertebrates.

Pollinator and floral odor specificity among four synchronopatric species of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae) suggests ethological isolation that prevents reproductive interference.

Possession of flowers that trap fly pollinators is a conservative trait within the genus Ceropegia, in which pollination systems can be generalized or highly specialized. However, little is known about the role of plant-pollinator interactions in the maintenance of species boundaries. This study examined the degree of plant-pollinator specialization and identified the parameters responsible for specificity among four co-occurring Ceropegia species with overlapping flowering times.