Article Review

First observations of nectar-drinking lizards on the African mainland

Petra Wester 

One interaction that is common among plants and animals, is the process of co-pollination. Usually these are mutual interactions that are beneficial to both the plants and the animals. In Africa, there are many mammals, both flying and non-flying that have been shown to help pollinate. Within this article, they observed that the flowers that were often visited by mammals, have been visited by lizards as well. This behavior has never been seen within the African mainland, and has only been observed rarely in isolated islands. Upon observation, it would be recorded that the Hemicordylus capensis (Cape cliff lizard) and the Rhoptropella ocellata (Namaqua day gecko) were seen flicking their tongues into pollen tubes and inserting their heads within flowers. 

This research is very important both for the plant community and the Herp community. This indicates that there are more species of organisms that are capable of creating pollination relationships. 

I have never heard of a lizard being interested in flowers and definitely have never heard of them sticking their entire heads in flowers. (This is adorable!) 

Journal: Plant Ecology Evolution Vol 152, No. 1 (78-83) 

Citation: Wester, P. (2019). First observations of nectar-drinking lizards on the African mainland. Plant Ecology and Evolution, 152(1), 78-83. Retrieved April 21, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/44974610

Link: https://www-jstor-org.nuncio.cofc.edu/stable/pdf/44974610.pdf?ab_segments=0%252Fbasic_SYC-5152%252Fcontrol&refreqid=excelsior%3Af03c690a713a9f0d441ea15a1dcb2016