Møller A P
Laboratoire d'Ecologie, CNRS UMR 7625, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Bâtiment A, 7ème étage, 7 quai St. Bernard, Case 237, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France e-mail:
Oecologia. 2000 May;123(2):149-157. doi: 10.1007/s004420051000.
A number of different insect species (ranging from Diptera, Lepidoptera and Coleoptera to Hymenoptera) have been shown to discriminate between small degrees of asymmetry when visiting flowers or flower-like models. Such preferences for symmetry may have an innate basis. Small degrees of bilateral or radial asymmetry of flowers are considered to represent a measure of developmental instability, since deviations from perfect symmetry reflect the inability to maintain developmental precision during ontogeny. Environmental factors causing increased asymmetry in leaves and flowers include radioactive radiation, ultraviolet radiation, excess artificial fertilizer, various pollutants, extreme saline conditions, herbivory and competition. Genetic factors that contribute to increased asymmetry in plants include homozygosity, hybridization, mutation and quantitative genetic differences among individuals. Insect preferences for symmetric flowers increase reproductive success of both pollen donors and recipients by affecting seed set and embryo abortion. The ability of insects to discriminate between flowers of superior and inferior quality is hypothesized to depend on the level of developmental instability of the perceptive apparatus of insects. Hence, asymmetry of insects may have consequences for plant reproductive success and mating patterns.
许多不同种类的昆虫（从双翅目、鳞翅目、鞘翅目到膜翅目）在访问花朵或花状模型时，已被证明能够区分小程度的不对称。这种对对称性的偏好可能有先天基础。花朵的小程度双侧或辐射不对称被认为是发育不稳定性的一种度量，因为与完美对称性的偏差反映了在个体发育过程中维持发育精确性的能力不足。导致叶片和花朵不对称增加的环境因素包括放射性辐射、紫外线辐射、过量的人工肥料、各种污染物、极端盐碱条件、食草动物和竞争。导致植物不对称增加的遗传因素包括纯合性、杂交、突变以及个体间的数量遗传差异。昆虫对对称花朵的偏好通过影响结实率和胚胎败育，提高了花粉供体和受体双方的繁殖成功率。据推测，昆虫区分优质和劣质花朵的能力取决于昆虫感知器官的发育不稳定程度。因此，昆虫的不对称可能会对植物的繁殖成功和交配模式产生影响。
