Journal of Pest Science (2017) 90, 531-545

Dharamvir Kanda, Sanehdeep Kaur and Opender Koul (2017)
Asymmetry of mating behaviour affects copulation success in two stored-product beetles
Journal of Pest Science 90 (2), 531-545
Abstract: Lateralization (i.e. left–right asymmetries in the brain and behaviour) has been documented in all vertebrate classes, while evidences for invertebrates are limited. To the best of our knowledge, there is no information about behavioural asymmetries in the order Coleoptera. In this research, we investigated the lateralization of mating traits in two major pests of stored products: the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Both T. confusum and S. oryzae males showed population-level left-biased copulation approaches of potential mates. Interestingly, T. confusum and S. oryzae males performing left-biased copulation attempts achieved higher mating success over right-biased males. Furthermore, S. oryzae males periodically exhibited a typical head wagging behaviour, which consists of waving the rostrum laterally across the female thorax and then resting the rostrum on the mid thorax. This behaviour was right-biased, even in the majority of males that previously showed left-biased copulation attempts. The quantification of mating displays could allow comparisons with other strains, in order to evaluate the impact of a given host or of the rearing methods on the mating traits of S. oryzae and T. confusum. Overall, this is the first report of lateralization of mating traits in Coleoptera. Furthermore, this research adds basic knowledge to the reproductive behaviour of S. oryzae and T. confusum.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: English)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Opender Koul, Sanehdeep Kaur

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tribolium castaneum	Stored grain
	Sitophilus oryzae	Stored grain
	Rhyzopertha dominica	Stored grain