''Pameridea'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

insect Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...

s comprising two species, ''P. roridulae'' and ''P. marlothii'', that live in symbiotic relationships with

carnivorous plant Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods, and occasionally small mammals and birds. They have adapted to grow in waterlo ...

s in the genus ''

Roridula ''Roridula'' (; from Latin ''roridus'' "dewy") is a genus of evergreen, insect-trapping shrubs, with two species, of about . It is the only genus in the family Roridulaceae. It has thin, woody, shyly branching, upright, initially brown, later gre ...

''. ''Pameridea marlothii'' only occurs on ''R. dentata'', while ''P. roridulae'' exists on both ''R. dentata'' and ''R. gorgonias''.

Life cycle

''Pameridea roridulae'' can only live on ''Roridula'', where it feeds on insects that the plant captures with its

resin A resin is a solid or highly viscous liquid that can be converted into a polymer. Resins may be biological or synthetic in origin, but are typically harvested from plants. Resins are mixtures of organic compounds, predominantly terpenes. Commo ...

-tipped

trichome Trichomes (; ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant ...

s.Voigt, D. and Gorb S. (2008) An insect trap as habitat: cohesion-failure mechanism prevents adhesion of ''Pameridea roridulae'' bugs to the sticky surface of the plant ''Roridula gorgonias''. The Journal of Experimental Biology 211, 2647-2657. After devouring the captured

arthropod Arthropods ( ) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an arthropod exoskeleton, exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often Mineralization (biology), mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (Metam ...

s, bugs in the genus excrete waste, which the plant absorbs using glands, making it an example of symbiosis. ''Pameridea'' also mates while on the plant, and hatchlings continue to live on the ''Roridula'' plant.

Conservation status

Since it is symbiotic with ''Roridula'', its conservation status depends on the status of the plant. The ''Roridula'' plant is scarce in the wild, due to collecting, pollution, and

habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

, although it is secure in cultivation from avid

enthusiasts.

Characteristics

''Pameridea roridulae'' and ''P. marlothii'' both have wings; however they are not very good fliers. They are small bugs, usually not reaching more than a few millimetres in size.

Relationship with ''Roridula''

The relationship with ''Roridula'' consists primarily of the fact that ''Roridula'' produces a resin that cannot digest captured insects like other carnivorous plants such as ''

Dionaea muscipula The Venus flytrap (''Dionaea muscipula'') is a carnivorous plant native to the temperate and subtropical wetlands of North Carolina and South Carolina, on the East Coast of the United States. Although various modern hybrids have been created ...

'', ''

Drosera ''Drosera'', which is commonly known as the sundews, is one of the largest genus, genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. 2 volumes. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucil ...

'', ''

Pinguicula ''Pinguicula'', commonly known as butterworts, is a genus of carnivorous flowering plants in the family Lentibulariaceae. They use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap, and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition they ...

'', and ''

Nepenthes ''Nepenthes'' ( ) is a genus of carnivorous plants, also known as tropical pitcher plants, or monkey cups, in the monotypic family Nepenthaceae. The genus includes about 170 species, and numerous natural and many cultivated hybrids. They are m ...

''. Thus, ''P. roridulae'' and ''P. marlothii'' devour the trapped insects on the ''Roridula'' and then excrete waste that is consumable by the plant to supplement its diet, since it grows in nutrient poor soil. Without the ''Roridula'', ''Pameridea'' cannot find a food source and ultimately die. Because ''P. roridulae'' and ''P. marlothii'' eat and digest the food for the plant, some

enthusiasts consider ''Roridula'' only sub-carnivorous. However, ''

Sarracenia purpurea ''Sarracenia purpurea'', the purple pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, turtle socks, or side-saddle flower, is a carnivorous plant in the family Sarraceniaceae. Taxonomy The species is further divided into two subspecies, ''S. purpurea'' subsp. ...

'' uses a variety of worms to digest captured

arthropods Arthropods ( ) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an arthropod exoskeleton, exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often Mineralization (biology), mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (Metam ...

for them, as does ''

Darlingtonia californica ''Darlingtonia californica'' —also called the California pitcher plant, the Oregon pitcher plant, cobra lily or cobra plant—is a species of carnivorous plant in the new world pitcher plant family, Sarraceniaceae. It is the sole species wit ...

'', and these plants are generally considered carnivorous. ''Pameridea'' have special feet with hairs on them that allow them to run through the plants' resin without being caught in it.

References

External links

Information on ''P. marlothii'' and ''P. roridulae'' and ''Roridula'' plants in general
{{Taxonbar, from=Q146616 Miridae genera Dicyphini