Abstract
Females ofAtrophaneura alcinous usually mate soon after eclosion. Their ostium bursae becomes plugged with male secretion which reduces chances of remating. Males frequently cling to a copulating pair and wait for completion of copulation. This was observed in 66% of 198 copulating pairs, with a maximum of 5 males clinging at one time during the course of a copulation. Males clinging for longer periods were more successful in copulation with the freshly mated female than those clinging for shorter periods. Despite the plugging effect, females may mate more than once. Clinging males were responsible for 61% of re-copulations and 53% of re-inseminations. Clinging behavior may be regarded as an effective male mating strategy to exploit freshly mated females, and an alternative to finding virgin females.
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Suzuki, N., Matsumoto, K. Pair-clinging behavior by males ofAtrophaneura alcinous (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). J. Ethol. 8, 45–51 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02350273
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02350273