Abstract
Mating behaviour in the crusader bug, Mictis profana (Heteroptera: Miridae) is described. Using scan samples of marked individuals in outdoor enclosures, it is shown that larger males secure more matings than do small males. From videotaped recordings of captive individuals, a series of stereotyped male courtship behaviours are documented, which appear to include the use of a putative weapon - the median abdominal tubercle - in tactile stimulation of the female. The fighting behaviour of this species based on videotaped observations of male-male combat over access to females was also described.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 151-155 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Australian Journal of Entomology |
Volume | 52 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2013 |
Keywords
- Fighting behaviour
- Heteroptera
- Leaf-footed bug
- Mictini