class MyFunc[-A, +B] extends (A => B) { def apply(x: A): B = ??? } class MyCollection[A] { def map[B](f: MyFunc[A, B]): MyCollection[B] = new MyCollection[B] } class OtherFunc[-A, +B] {} object Test { implicit def functionToMyFunc[A, B](f: A => B): MyFunc[A, B] = new MyFunc // = new MyFunc[A,Nothing](); implicit def otherFuncToMyFunc[A, B](f: OtherFunc[A, B]): MyFunc[A, B] = new MyFunc // = new MyFunc[A,Nothing](); def main(args: Array[String]) { val col = new MyCollection[Int] // Doesn't compile: error: missing parameter type for expanded function ((x$1) => x$1.toString) println(col.map(_.toString)) // scala.this.Predef.println(col.map[String](Test.this.functionToMyFunc[Int, String](((x$1: Int) => x$1.toString())))); // Doesn't compile: error: missing parameter type println(col.map(x => x.toString)) // scala.this.Predef.println(col.map[String](Test.this.functionToMyFunc[Int, String](((x: Int) => x.toString())))); // Does compile println(col.map((x: Int) => x.toString)) // scala.this.Predef.println(col.map[String](Test.this.functionToMyFunc[Int, String](((x: Int) => x.toString())))); // Does compile (even though type params of OtherFunc not given) println(col.map(new OtherFunc)) // scala.this.Predef.println(col.map[Nothing](Test.this.otherFuncToMyFunc[Any, Nothing](new OtherFunc[Any,Nothing]()))) } }