Zoophily
As zoophilia ( ζώον of gr, Zoon - creatures / animal and φίλος, philos - friend) or Zoogamie (Greek: ζώον, Zoon - creatures / animal; Gamos - wedding) is referred to in botany, a characteristic syndrome in plants, with pollination by animals is accompanied, that is generally acquired through coevolution adaptations of plants to all cases of biotic pollination.
The opposite is a characteristic syndrome that is emerging in plants with abiotic pollination, such as anemophily ( pollination by wind) or hydrophilicity ( pollination by water).
Zoophiles plant species often have some of the force of zoophilia as typical properties:
- Staminokarpellate ( = hermaphroditic ) flowers ( stamens and carpels in the same flower )
- For the pollinator flashy colors, smells or structures. for example: showy petals
- Showy bracts
- Pollen
- Nectar
- Greases and oils
- Resins
- Fragrance Oils
- Sleeps
When Zoophilia the pollen is transported by animals. When visiting flowers pollen is attached to the pollinator, often transmitted through sticky pollen appendage or a structurally rich outer layer, and then the stigma of a flower. With the transfer of pollen to the stigma ( in gymnosperms on the pollination drops) pollination is complete.
Transport partner of the zoophilic plants are:
- Insects ( entomophily ) Fly ( Myiophilie )
- Hymenoptera Ants ( Myrmekophilie )
- Bees, bumble bees ( Melittophilie )
- Wasps ( Sphecophilie )
- Moths ( Phalenophilie )
- Nighthawks ( Sphingophilie )
- Butterflies ( Psychophilie )
- Bats ( Chiropterophilie )
- Opossums
The pollination of the snail slime carried pollen ( Malacophilie ) has been described several times ( for example Aspidistra ), but is controversial ( Daumann 1963).
Not to be confused is the Zoogamie with the Zoidiogamie with which the fertilization is meant by flagellated sperm cells.