Glossary Details – French Guianan E-Flora Project

Glossary Details:

Title: Coevolution of a bat and a plant. Photo by B. Keeley.

Description: An example of coevolution between the bat Lionycteris spurrelii and Lecythis poiteaui as seen near the Nouragues Nature Park in French Guiana. Among other adaptations the plant has evolved nocturnal flowering to exploit a nocturnal pollinator and the bat is able to hover while it is taking nectar from the flower, the flowers of this species are difficult to take nectar from without the ability to hover.

Term:

Coevolution

Definition:

A reciprocal process in which adaptations of one organism promote adaptations in another; e.g., the nocturnal anthesis of a cup-shaped flower and the elongated snout of a bat that pollinates that flower.