Journal of Insect Behavior (2018) 31, 629-641

Y. Golov, J. Rillich, M. Douek, A.R. Harari and A. Ayali (2018)
Sexual behavior of the desert locust during intra- and inter-phase interactions
Journal of Insect Behavior 31 (6), 629-641
Abstract: Mating and reproduction behaviors and strategies are fundamental aspects of an organism's evolutionary and ecological success. In locusts, intra- as well as inter-phase reproductive interactions among gregarious and solitarious locust populations have a major impact on the locust population dynamics. However, practically all previous work on locust sexual behavior has been limited to the gregarious phase. Here we provide a first detailed description of pre-copulatory behavior of solitarious desert locusts. We compare our findings with those of previous reports of pre-copulatory behavior of gregarious locusts, focusing on the behavioral elements that serve in inter-sex signaling and communication. We also studied inter-phase (mixed pairs) reproductive interactions. Solitarious males were found to invest more in pre-copulatory courtship and signaling compared to their gregarious counterparts; and solitarious females played a more dominant role in the inter-sex communication than gregarious females. The solitarious females were also less likely to demonstrate rejection-related behavioral patterns than gregarious females. As a consequence of the particular characteristic behavior of each phase, the most successful among intra- and inter-phase pairs were gregarious males with solitary females. Least successful were solitary males paired with gregarious females, indicating a strong asymmetry in inter-phase reproductive interactions.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Amir Ayali

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Schistocerca gregaria