Abstract
Egg mass destroying behaviour of femaleLethocerus deyrollei and male defending behaviour were observed in a densely vegetated concrete pond. In 3 of 9 cases of male-female interactions, the males successfully guarded their egg masses. In 4 of the 6 remaining cases in which the egg masses were destroyed by the female, females successfully took over the mate and laid their own egg masses the same night. These results suggest that male brooding guards the egg mass from females, as well as supplying eggs with water.
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References
Ichikawa, N. 1988 Male brooding behaviour of the giant water bug,Lethocerus deyrollei Vuillefroy (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae).J. Ethol. 6(2):121–127.
Ichikawa, N. 1989 Repeated copulation benefit of the female inLethocerus deyrollei Vuillefroy (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae).J. Ethol. 7(2):113–117.
Ichikawa, N. 1990 Egg mass destroying behaviour of the female giant water bug,Lethocerus deyrollei Vuillefroy (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae).J. Ethol. 8(1):5–11.
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Ichikawa, N. Egg mass destroying and guarding behaviour of the giant water bug,Lethocerus deyrollei Vuillefroy (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae). J. Ethol. 9, 25–29 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02350293
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02350293