Sexual behaviour in Paraphlebia quinta Calvert: male dimorphism and a possible example of female control (Zygoptera: Megapodagrionidae)

The sexual behaviour and a case of male phenotypic dimorphism in P. quinta are described: black-winged (BW) 3 3 and hyaline-winged (HW) 3 3. Similar to other territorial odon. spp., some 3 3 defended a space that 9 9 used for oviposition while other 3 3 acted as satellites. Copulation took place in 2 stages which differed in abdominal movement orientation and duration. Copulation duration varied between morphs and was frequently disrupted. During disruption, the genitalia of both sexes disengaged although the tandem position (the 3's abdominal appendices grasping the 9's prothorax) was maintained. Disruptions, which took place during the first stage (a stage during which displacement of rival sperm occurs in most odon. spp.), were sometimes followed by emissions of sperm from the vagina. Male morphs exhibit striking behavioural differences; HW 3 3 do not defend territories, but BW 3 3 do, and the former copulate for longer and show more copulatory disruptions. Some stages of 9 behaviour are described and suggested as instances during which 9 9 may be exerting mate choice; 9 9 copulated on fewer occasions with HW 3 3, copulations with this morph were longer but ovipositions were not, and sperm emissions (possibly, sperm from previous mates) and copulatory disruptions of BW 3 3 were less frequent. Because of these differences, it is suggested this is a unique sp. to test current ideas of 9 control in an insect order in which the idea of 3 “control” has been traditional.