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Male and female interactions during courtship of the Neotropical damselfly Mnesarete pudica (Odonata: Calopterygidae)

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Abstract

The courtship behavior in calopterygid damselflies is well documented; however, the behavior of the large Neotropical genus Mnesarete is still unknown. Thus, here we present the first description of male–female interactions in Mnesarete pudica, a common damselfly in the Neotropical Savanna. The male–female interactions were composed of courtship displays, mounting, and chasing. The courtship behavior lasted 5.23 ± 1.65 s and is very different from other calopterygids, consisting of hovering flights and the cross display made in front of females rather than on the oviposition site. The arrival and presence of females on a male territory are not sufficient to initiate sexual interactions; the male usually interacts with the female only after a patrolling flight. The females may present three distinct behaviors in response to male approach: (a) warding off signal (31.53%), (b) escape (28.83%), (c) and wing flipping (39.64%), which seems to stimulate male courtship. Females also may sit still, which induces males to react as if females were signaling they are willing to mate. In this paper, we also suggest that male courtship behavior is mediated by female signals.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Ana Carolina Vilarinho for field assistance. RGF thanks CAPES for the financial support. PCB thanks FAPESP (04/09711-8; 09/53233-7) and CNPq (477349/2007-2; 301652/2008-2) for the constant support. We thank Ricardo Cardoso Leite, Aurélio Fajar Tonetto and Sérgio H. R. Batista for valuable comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

    Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

  2. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências e Letras de Assis, LABIA–Laboratório de Biologia Aquática, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Assis, São Paulo, Brazil

    Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira & Pitágoras C. Bispo

  3. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências e Letras de Assis–UNESP, LABIA–Laboratório de Biologia Aquática, Av. Dom Antônio, 2100, 19.806-900, Assis, SP, Brazil

    Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

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  1. Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira
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  2. Pitágoras C. Bispo
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Correspondence to Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira.

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The video shows male and female behavior during courtship of the damselfly Mnesarete pudica (WMV 12590 kb)

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Guillermo-Ferreira, R., Bispo, P.C. Male and female interactions during courtship of the Neotropical damselfly Mnesarete pudica (Odonata: Calopterygidae). acta ethol 15, 173–178 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-012-0122-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-012-0122-4

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