Pollination and “flower” visits in the Late Mesozoic of northeastern China

Key Words： pollination, insect, Mesozoic, fossil

Abstract：　　 Interactions between insects and plants have played an important role in the evolution of both taxa. Evidence that ancient insects consumed pollen, collected pollen-drops or related fluids, or visited the ovuliferous reproductive organs of Mesozoic gymnosperms, has been found in the fossil record. In northeastern China, a high number of diverse, excellently preserved fossil insects and plants have been studied and reported on since the mid 1990’s. For example, two studies of fossil dipterans and mecopterans with long proboscides implicated in the pollination of gymnosperm plants were published in Science. In this paper, we review reported fossil insects found in northeastern China from the Late Mesozoic and identify those that were potential pollinators or “flower” visitors. In addition, we also carry out a preliminary survey of coeval fossil plants from the same locations and present potential plant candidates which might have been involved in insect interactions. Further research will be carried out to identify direct evidence of pollination and flower “visits” in these insect and plant fossils.