Gnathium nitidum
Horn, 1870
Gnathium nitidum is a of in the , Nemognathinae. It was described by George Henry Horn in 1870. The species is found in Central America and North America. As a member of the Gnathium, it possesses the characteristic elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding on flowers.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Gnathium nitidum: /ˈɡneɪ.θi.əm ˈnɪ.tɪ.dəm/
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Distribution
Central America and North America. The is recorded from Middle America and North America in distribution databases. Museum holdings indicate substantial collection records, with 283 specimens documented in the Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside.
Diet
feed on nectar from flowers. Like other members of the Gnathium, nectar uptake occurs via capillary action along bristles on the elongated rather than through true sucking. The length of the maxillary mouthparts is adapted to access nectar in flowers with deep corollas.
More Details
Mouthpart morphology
The elongated mouthparts of Gnathium nitidum were historically described as a '' for 'sucking' nectar, but scanning electron microscopy and micro-CT studies (Wilhelmi & Krenn 2012) demonstrated that the lack a . Nectar is transported by capillary action along the bristle-covered outer surfaces, with musculature around the mouth aiding transport.
Museum holdings
The Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside holds 283 specimens of Gnathium nitidum as of April 2010, representing one of the larger series for the Gnathium in that collection.