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Published:
Jul 2, 2021Updated:
2021-07-02DOI:
10.4314/met.v32i1.4Keywords:
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Main Article Content
Observations on the mating behaviour and related copulatory anatomy of Alaena margaritacea Eltringham, 1929 (Papilionoidea: Lycaenidae: Poritiinae)
Etienne Terblanche
Abstract
This article records observations made on the mating behaviours and related copulatory anatomy of Alaena margaritacea Eltringham, 1929. Several mating sessions were observed, one of which lasted for at least 1 h 38 min. The female seemed to play a predominant role in copulation behaviours. The male abdomen tilted at an unusual angle during copulation. Anatomically, the ostium bursa was found to be covered by a sclerotized cup leading into an orifice. This cup and orifice occurred at a distance from the abdominal tip, corresponding with the unusual tilting of the male abdomen during copulation. Inside the cup, a “waxy” substance was found to cover the orifice. A SEM micrograph of this showed that the substance was folded to increase its volume. This article considers the possibility that this is a sphragis or related structure. However, the current literature emphatically concludes that sphragides do not exist in the family Lycaenidae. The apparently peculiar mating behaviour and anatomy in this species requires further research.
