New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

---

The roles of lizards in New Zealand plant reproductive strategies

A. H. WHITAKER

R.D. 1
Motueka
New Zealand

Abstract Geckos in the genus Hoplodactylus regularly visit flowers to feed on nectar. They col- lect considerable amounts of pollen, mostly on their throats, from species such as Metrosideros excelsa and Phormium tenax. This pollen can be carried for many metres and for up to at least 12 hours, and there is thus the opportunity for lizards to transfer it to a conspecific plant to effect cross- pollination. Geckos in the genus Hoplodactylus and skinks in the genera Leiolopisma and Cyclodina all include considerable quantities of fleshy fruit in their diet during summer. Fruits most commonly consumed are in the genera Coprosma, Gaultheria, Hymen- anthera, Macropiper, and Muehlenbeckia. Seeds pass through the gut undamaged and germination trials showed that at least some are viable. Because of the size, colour, and positioning of the fruit it appears that some divaricating shrubs (e.g., Coprosma, Hymenanthera) or vines (e.g., Mueh- lenbeckia) may be specifically adapted to seed dis- persal by lizards.

Keywords pollination; seed dispersal; nectari- vory; frugivory; lizard; gecko; skink

Received 20 June 1986; accepted 8 October 1986
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1987, Vol. 25: 315-328
0028-825X/87/2502-0315$2.50/0 © Crown copyright 1987

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (3186K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

---

This year's abstracts | Journal home page | All abstracts | Publishing home page