A Comparative Analysis of Mating Recognition Signals in Graylings: Hipparchia statilinus vs. H. semele (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) |
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Authors: | Manuela Pinzari |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, snc-00133 Rome, Italy;(2) Via Uras, 15/C-00050, Aranova, Fiumicino Rome, Italy |
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Abstract: | Courtship is an important character linked to fitness and can evolve in response to female mate choice, to ensure sex identity
and quality of a potential mate. It can also be a major pre-mating isolating mechanism in butterflies and many other species.
In this paper, aspects of the reproductive behaviour of Hipparchia statilinus are described. First, the ethogram and the sequential structure of courtship leading to copulation and female refusal behaviour
are showed; second, the results are compared with the behaviour of the sympatric and syntopic species, H. semele. Sequential analysis of H. statilinus courtship showed that, once a male has started the sequence, the following steps most likely follow up to the end. Courtship
seems to reflect female behaviour: the male can repeat the whole sequence or part of it more than once, waiting for female
signals. The general pattern of sexual behaviour in H. semele and in H. statilinus is mainly identical: perching strategy, flight pursuit, courtship. In both species, courtship consists of a highly stereotypic
sequence, and differences between sequences are primarily related to presence/absence, order and performance of steps. This
study is the first step of an experimental design addressed to a better understanding of mating recognition signals in Hipparchia and provides more details to define the relative roles of phylogeny and environment in shaping boundaries among species. |
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Keywords: | Hipparchia statilinus Hipparchia semele butterfly courtship behaviour mating behaviour female refusal behaviour female choice |
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