Mouse Pollinator (IMAGE)

Ecological Society of America

Mouse Pollinator

Caption

Pollen dusts the nose of a Namaqua rock mouse (Aethomys namaquensis) as it samples nectar from a pagoda lily (Whiteheadia biflia) on the Sevilla Rock Art Trail in South Africa. The rock mice visit lilies in the night, sipping from, but not eating, the flowers, and carrying pollen from flower to flower. Beyond bats, which pollinate about 528 plant species, flightless mammals like lemurs, possums, squirrels, and marsupials are also known to visit at least 85 plant species.

Credit

Petra Wester

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