Which insect family contains the obligate pollinators of fig trees?

• A. Apidae
• B. Nymphalidae
• C. Culicidae
• D. Agaonidae

Answer: (D)

Fig trees rely on a specialized mutualism with fig wasps for pollination, and the obligate pollinators belong to the fig wasp family Agaonidae. Female wasps enter the enclosed fig inflorescence through a narrow opening, pollinate the numerous tiny flowers inside, and lay their eggs. As the wasps develop, new females carry pollen and exit to find another fig, continuing the cycle. This tightly linked life history makes fig pollination exclusively dependent on Agaonidae, rather than on other insects like bees (Apidae), butterflies (Nymphalidae), or mosquitoes (Culicidae). The result is a classic coevolutionary relationship where each fig species is typically pollinated by a specific Agaonidae species, and the wasp in turn uses the fig as its birthplace.