Seed predation heterogeneity in the loculate fruits of a Mediterranean bushy plant

The effects of the number of locules per fruit on seed predation in a Mediterranean woody plant (Cistus ladanifer) were analysed. Plants produced fruits with a similar number of locules (fruits with a small, intermediate or large number of locules). Nevertheless, there were no differences in the number of fruits produced or predated per plant. Different types of fruits did not differ in size, seed weight, fruit to wall ratio, insect predation rate or mean proportion of destroyed locules. They did differ, however, in the variation of the proportion of destroyed locules; fruits with few locules had a wider variation than fruits with a large number of locules. Our results suggest that phenotypic selection pressure on insect predation could give rise to more between-fruit variation in the seed output saved from predation in those plants producing fruits with a small number of locules.