Malays. Appl. Biol. (1997) 26(2): 57-61
MATING BEHAVIOUR OF MENOCHILUS SEXMACULATUS FABR. (COLEOPTERA: COCCINELLIDAE)
MAISIN N., S. T. S.1 HASSAN1*, M. Y. HUSSEIN1 and A. S. SAJAP2
1 Department of Biology 2 Department of Plant Protection, Department of Forest Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia,
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
Mating behaviour of Menochilus sexmaculatus Fabr. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) was studied and analyzed. The mosi frequent sequence of mating behaviour displayed by a male commenced with pause and face the female, walk slowly towards the female, at closer distance pause again with its maxillary palps vibrating rapidly, jump and mount or touch the female and mount, and copulate. The male may also run towards the female when approaching, jumps and mounts tc copulate. On most occasions, the female remains motionless when the male touches and mounts. On lesser occasions the female refuses to mate when the male tries to mount and copulate, and attempts to escape. To counteract, the male then circles the female while continually attempting to mount onto the female's back. During copulation the male performs a body shaking behaviour signaling the transfer of sperm. This behaviour also serves as a copulatory courtship. Aftei copulation, and to a lesser extent during copulation, the male "licks" the female elytra and pronotum while circling on the female's dorsal surface. This licking marks the female and probably helps to ensure the female remained unattractive to other males. Consequently the copulated male's sperms maintain a high probability of fertilizing the eggs. The latent period of body shaking in male was 3.7 ± 0.2 seconds, and copulation duration in virgin and mated pairs were 97.6 ± 9.1 min and 101.8 ± 5.4 min respectively. The relationship between the number of body shaking and duration of copulation can be represented by the logistic equation model (sigmoid curve).
ABSTRAK
Kelakuan mengawan Menochilus sexmaculatus Fabr. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) telah dikaji dan diteliti. Turutan kelakuan yang kerap diperhatikan pada jantan bermula dengan berhenti seketika lalu mengarah kepada betina, berjalan perlahan menghampiri betina, berhenti seketika pada jarak yang dekat dengan betina sambil menggetarkan palpa maksilanya, melompat dan melekap atau menyentuh betina, melekap dan senggama. Selalunya betina akan mendiamkan diri apabila jantan menyentuh dan melekap di belakangnya. Kadang-kadang betina tidak mahu mengawan dan akan melarikan diri apabila jantan cuba menghampirinya. Sekiranya jantan menghadapi keadaan tersebut, ia akan mengelilingi betina sambil cuba menaiki belakang betina untuk menenangkannya dan menghalang betina itu lari. Ketika senggama, jantan akan menggoyangkan badan menandakan proses pemindahan sperma sedang berlaku, dan kelakuan ini juga berfungsi sebagai pujukan. Setelah senggama, dan sedikit semasa sengggama, jantan "menjilat" permukaan elitra dan pronotum sambil mengelilingi bahagian dorsal betina. Kelakuan pos-sengggama ini menanda betina dan merupakan satu strategi memastikan betina itu tidak menarik perhatian jantan lain. Justeru ini menentukan spermanya sahaja yang mensenyawakan telur betina tadi. Masa yang diambil daripada percantuman genitalia hingga bermulanya goyangan badan oleh jantan ialah 3.7 ± 0.2 saat, masa senggama pada pasangan dara dan pada yang telah mengawan ialah masing-masing 97.6 ± 9.1 minit dan 101.8 ± 5.4 minit. Hubungan antara bilangan goyangan badan dan tempoh senggama dijelaskan oleh persamaan model logistik (lengkung sigmoid).
Key words: Mating behaviour, Coccinellidae, Menochilus sexmaculatus
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