@article{Wester_2015, title={The forgotten pollinators – First field evidence for nectar-feeding by primarily insectivorous elephant-shrews}, volume={16}, url={https://pollinationecology.org/index.php/jpe/article/view/349}, DOI={10.26786/1920-7603(2015)14}, abstractNote={<p>Pollination of plants by non-flying mammals, such as mice (Rodentia), is a rarely observed phenomenon. Previously, elephant-shrews (Macroscelidea), small African mammals looking similar to mice, but not being related to them, were believed to be purely insectivorous and occasional flower visits of elephant-shrews in captivity were interpreted as a by-product of the search for insects. Only recently it was demonstrated that under lab conditions elephant-shrews regularly lick nectar from flowers. However, field observations of flower-visiting elephant-shrews and their role as pollinators were completely missing. Here I present the first evidence for flower visits and nectar consumption for elephant-shrews in the field. With video camcorders and infrared lights I recorded Cape rock elephant-shrews (<em>Elephantulus edwardii</em>) beside Namaqua rock mice (<em>Micaelamys namaquensis</em>) visiting flowers of the Pagoda lily (<em>Whiteheadia bifolia</em>, Asparagaceae) under natural conditions in the Namaqualand of South Africa. With their long tongues, the elephant-shrews visited the flowers non-destructively, definitely licking nectar, but not eating insects. The footage clearly shows that the elephant-shrews’ fur around their long noses touches the pollen-sacs and the stigmas of the flowers and that the animals’ fur is being dusted with pollen. As the elephant-shrews visited several flowers of different plants, it is obvious that they transfer pollen between the plants. This observation contributes to the knowledge about the behaviour of these representatives of a unique clade of small African mammals – especially in their natural habitat. With their behavioural and anatomical uniqueness, it is not unlikely that elephant-shrews even play a role as selective force driving floral evolution.</p><p> </p><p>Appendices:</p><p>Additional supporting information is to be found:</p><p>Appendix I. With its long tongue Elephantulus edwardii licks nectar from Whiteheadia bifolia flowers, getting dusted with pollen on its nose. Infrared video.</p><p><a href="/user-files/JPE349_Appendix1.mp4">http://www.pollinationecology.org/user-files/ JPE349_Appendix1.mp4</a></p><p>Appendix II. Micaelamys namaquensis licking nectar from Whiteheadia bifolia flowers, getting dusted with pollen on its nose. Infrared video.</p><p><a href="/user-files/JPE349_Appendix2.avi">http://www.pollinationecology.org/user-files/JPE349_Appendix2.avi</a></p><p>Appendix III. Micaelamys namaquensis feeding on pollen-sacs of Whiteheadia bifolia flowers. Infrared video.</p><p><a href="/user-files/JPE349_Appendix3.avi">http://www.pollinationecology.org/user-files/JPE349_Appendix3.avi</a></p>}, journal={Journal of Pollination Ecology}, author={Wester, Petra}, year={2015}, month={Jul.}, pages={108–111} }