Nepenthes Mirabilis - Pitcher Infauna

Pitcher Infauna

A great number of infaunal organisms have been found in the pitchers of this species. These include the sarcophagid fly Sarcophaga papuensis and the mite Nepenthacarus warreni, which have both been found in Australian populations of the plant. Similarly, the mosquitoes Aedes dybasi and Aedes maehleri reside in the pitchers of N. mirabilis on the islands of Palau and Yap, respectively. Both have unusual life histories and morphological traits associated with this habit.

The nematode Baujardia mirabilis has been described from N. mirabilis in Thailand. It is not thought to be an accidental; the pitchers of this species appear to be the nematode's natural habitat. The microecosystems in these pitchers were found to be dominated by mosquito larvae, midges, and B. mirabilis. It is speculated that this nematode might have a phoretic relationship with one or more infaunal insect species.

In southern China, tree frogs have been observed in the pitchers of N. mirabilis. The amphibians do not fall prey to the plant, but rather feed on insects that are caught by the pitchers. They are not affected by the acidic digestive juices (which may have a pH as low as 2), likely due to the mucilagenous outer layer of their skin.

The first record of an aquatic fungus living in the pitcher organ of a carnivorous plant came from a specimen of N. mirabilis growing along the Jardine River in Australia. The mycelial fungus was observerd as both free-living in the trap's fluid and attached to chitinous insect remains.

The pitchers of N. mirabilis have also been found to harbour a complex community of bacteria.