Seed predation in native legumes of south‐eastern Australia

Seed predation in 28 species of native legumes in the Sydney region was examined. While bruchids are significant seed predators in the Sydney region they are not the dominant seed predators group, as is the case in central America. Other important groups include weevils, anthribids and lepidopterans. In each group of seed predators studied, apart from the lepidoptera, a particular genus was closely associated with a single plant genus. The degree of seed predation varied from 85% to 3%, with only six of the 28 species of plants studied relatively free from seed predation (less than 10% seed‐crop losses). Variation in the degree of seed predation both within and between plant genera could not be explained by taxonomic relationships, morphology, distribution, seed weight or seed dispersal agents. A larger data base is necessary to account for such variations.