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this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2023
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Bats
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Bats are cool
Bats are the only true flying mammals. There are over 1,400 species of bats, and they can be found on nearly every part of the planet. Not only are they cute, they are also important...
Studying how bats use echolocation has helped scientists develop navigational aids for the blind. Without bats’ pollination, seed dispersal, and pest control we wouldn’t have bananas, avocados, mangoes, agave, or cacao… that’s right, bats bring us tequila and chocolate!
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This is a cacao flower. It's about 5 mm wide (half a centimeter). It has no visible nectaries, and it seems like the pollen are in pollenia attached and guarded by anther shields. Like wise, the stigma has some filimants (maybe infertile anthers?) that also appear to be for blocking self pollination. None of that speaks to bat pollination and unlikely even pollination by European honey bees. This kind of floral arrangement would speak to a specific species that needs to be just the right size to get a pollenia stuck to it, then to be able to move that polenia past the filaments around the stigma on another flower. More akin to an orchid or milkweed style of pollination.
(uploading a video too, but it will be a few minutes)
Makes sense, there's no evidence I can find that bats pollinate them either, just broad statements and puff pieces and listicles.
Thanks for posting the pictures though, that'll be interesting for anyone visiting this thread
Here is the video, just posted
https://youtu.be/fFvCQ-pDkwY?si=-pYmHOv4g57TJtYM