DIURNAL INSECT POLLINATORS of RAFFLESIA KERRI MEIJER at LOJING HIGHLANDS, KELANTAN, PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Abstract

Rafflesia kerri Meijer (Rafflesiaceae) is a parasitic gigantic flowering plant. Like other Rafflesia species, this species possesses highly reduced vegetative growth and only appears as a male and female flowers for sexual reproduction. Current investigation aimed to identify the potential pollinators of R. kerri that occur at Lojing Highlands, Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia. Diurnal flies that visited R. kerri flower were trapped using the sweep net and the specimens were identified at the Centre for Insect Systematics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The study identified the visiting insects from 13 families, namely Calliphoridae, Rhagionidae, Syrphidae, Anthomyiidae, Tachinidae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae, Conopidae, Ulidiidae, Drosophilidae, Formicidae, Apinae and Andrenidae. The result shows that pollination of this flower was greatly assisted by insect (entomophily) of calliphorid flies such as Chrysomya sp., Lucilia sp. and Hypopygiopsis sp. This paper describes the potential pollinators of R. kerri which may help in its conservation biology.