Mating behaviour of the water mite Arrenurus manubriator (Acari: Arrenuridae) |
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Authors: | Heather C. Proctor B. P. Smith |
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Affiliation: | Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4 Canada;Biology Department, Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York, 14850 USA |
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Abstract: | Water mites of the genus Arrenurus vary in male sexual dimorphism and in sperm transfer behaviour. Although it is a very large genus (≈800 spp.), mating behaviour has been described for only a few species. Here sperm transfer behaviour is described for the first time in a North American species, Arrenurus manubriator. Behaviour patterns can be divided into pre-pairing (readiness posture and cauda presentation), pre-deposition (high vertical jerking, low vertical shaking, striking/stroking and slow lateral waving), spermatophore deposition, sperm translocation, post-deposition (striking/stroking. slow lateral waving, 'tick-rock', shuttling, violent shaking), and separation. Males deposited 8–21 spermatophores in a mating. Pairs remained together for up to 31/2h. Possible adaptive functions of male courtship behaviour are discussed, including the hypothesis that male intromittant organs evolved in Arrenurus to circumvent female choice. |
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