Males control the duration of copulation in the tropical millipede Alloporus uncinatus (Diplopoda: Julida)

Abstract

Prolonged copulation in Alloporus uncinatus is a form of mate guarding against sperm competition. Here we show, using a simple experiment, that males control the duration of copulation, an often overlooked assumption regarding the adaptive significance of prolonged copulation. The sex-specific evolutionary benefits of prolonged copulation are discussed in relation to the role played by sperm competition in the evolution of the mating system of A. uncinatus.