Mating behavior of dimorphic reproductives of the ponerine ant, Hypoponera nubatama

Summary.

Both wingless worker-like queens, and dealated queens of the ponerine ant, Hypoponera nubatama, engage in egg-laying activities. Corresponding to the differentiation in female reproductives, males are also dimorphic, winged and ergatoid. In Japan, wingless reproductives appear mainly from late July to mid-August, while winged ones appear mainly from late August to mid-October. Winged reproductives make nuptial flights, while wingless ones mate inside the nests. Cross-mating is, however, possible in the laboratory. The mating of ergatoid males is characterized by very long precopulation and copulation times, frequently more than 2 hours, suggesting that ergatoid males themselves play the role of mating plug. We observed no fighting among ergatoid males. However, they did seem to cause a relatively higher mortality rate in rival ergatoid males by embracing them while still in the cocoon.