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Sexual behavior and morphology of Themira minor (Diptera: Sepsidae) males and the evolution of male sternal lobes and genitalic surstyli

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2012

William G. Eberhard
William G. Eberhard*
Affiliation:
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, Ciudad Universitaria, Costa Rica
*
1Corresponding author (e-mail: archisepsis@biologia.ucr.ac.cr).
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Abstract

Probable ancestral types of courtship behavior for most sepsid flies were deduced from the behavior and morphology of a species in the relatively basal genus Themira. At least three of the five behavior patterns used by Themira minor (Haliday) males to court females prior to and during copulation are shared with other, more derived groups. During copulation the male's sternal lobes were rotated so that their brushes of long setae were fanned apart and may tap the female. The morphology of the tips of the male's genitalic surstyli and the muscles attached to them indicate that they are also moveable. This trait, which occurs in several other distantly related species, probably serves to squeeze the female during copulation. Thus, contrary to the impression from previous studies, elaborate courtship before and during copulation may be widespread among sepsids.

Résumé

Les types ancestraux probables du comportement de cour de la plupart des Sepsidae ont pu être déduits du comportement sexuel et de la morphologie d'une espèce du genre relativement primitif Themira. Au moins trois des cinq comportements de cour utilisés par les mâles de Themira minor (Haliday) avant et pendant l'accouplement sont utilisés aussi par d'autres groupes plus évolués. Durant l'accouplement, les lobes sternaux du mâle sont tournés et séparés de sorte que leurs peignes de longues soies sont déployés en éventail et peuvent tapoter la femelle. La morphologie des extrémités des surstyles génitaux du mâle et des muscles qui s'y rattachent indique qu'ils sont aussi mobiles. Ces structures, qui existent aussi chez plusieurs autres espèces de parenté éloignée, servent probablement à serrer la femelle pendant l'accouplement. Il semble donc que, contrairement à ce que laissaient croire des études antérieures, certains comportements de cour complexes avant et pendant l'accouplement puissent être communs à beaucoup de Sepsidae.

[Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 135 , Issue 4 , August 2003 , pp. 569 - 581
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 2003

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