Genitalic stridulation during copulation in a species of crane fly,Tipula (Bellardina) sp. (Diptera: Tipulidae)

Abstract

The male genitalia of many animal groups have elaborate and species-specific forms. One hypothesis to explain why this is so is that male genitalia function as stimulatory devices that are under sexual selection by cryptic female choice. This report is based on a videotaped observation of a single male of an unidentified species of Tipula (Bellarina) from San José Province, Costa Rica. A male crane fly stridulated (produced vibrations) during copulation using sustained and stereotyped movements of file and scraper structures on his genitalia. Males of related species have similar file and scraper structures on their genitalia, suggesting that they probably also stridulate during copulation. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (Suppl. 1): 251-256. Epub 2009 November 30.Un macho de Tipula (Bellardina) sp. estriduló (produjo vibraciones) por medio de movimientos estereotipados de estructuras de sus órganos genitales durante varios minutos de la cópula. Los machos de algunas especies relacionadas poseen estructuras similares, lo cual sugiere que también estridulan durante la cópula.

Keywords

• cortejo copulatorio
• evolución órganos sexuales
• selección sexual
• selección críptica en hembras
• Costa Rica
• copulatory courtship
• genitalic evolution
• sexual selection
• cryptic female choice
• Costa Rica