Mating behavior of the long-legged cricket Eidmanacris meridionalis Desutter-Grandcolas, 1995 (Orthoptera: Phalangopsidae)

Abstract

Pair-formation, courtship, copulatory, and post-copulatory behaviors of Eidmanacris meridionalis Desutter-Grandcolas, 1995, were described under laboratory conditions and compared with congeneric species and other Phalangopsidae crickets whose mating behavior has been previously studied. Field observations for the species are also reported. Mating behaviors were observed in E. meridionalis couples: they first remained motionless, and then began walking through the arena screening the substrate. Mating behavior started with antennal contact, followed by males positioning themselves in front of females, that, when receptive, mounted on the males back and started feeding on metanotum secretions of the males. Copulation (female-above-male position) started with the engaging of copulatory structures and stopped with couple detachment. The end-to-end position was observed once, right after couple detachment. Males always remained with the spermatophore, which was eaten after removal or, alternatively, left in the substrate. The main differences in mating behavior of Eidmanacris species regard the mating position and the duration of the reproductive stages, suggesting that other reproductive repertoires can be observed in the genus since 27 species have not yet been studied in regards their reproductive behavior. We can also assume that the morphological, genetic, and chemical diversity found among the species of Phalangopsidae reflects in the behaviors of pair-formation, courtship, copulation, and post-copulation, leading to a diversity of copulation positions, duration of the stages, methods of attracting partners and parental investment. The description of Phalangopsidae mating patterns can provide important information for future evolutionary and phylogenetic studies, apart from useful for distinguishing cryptic species.