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Table 1 Behaviours performed during P. papatasi courtship

From: Courtship behaviour of Phlebotomus papatasi the sand fly vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis

 

Name of behaviour

Description

Male and female behaviours

1

Not courting

Sand fly stationary or moving around the arena, but not interacting with courtship partner.

2

Facing

Male and female stand facing, slightly adjacent to one other, approximately one body length apart.

3

Leg Rubbing

Sand fly appears to cross the tips of the front legs while rubbing them against one another. Contact may also be made with the mouth parts and antennae.

4

Touching

Sand fly touches partner, usually making contact with the tips of the legs or antennae. Females were also observed to touch the male abdomen at the start of courtship.

5

Stationary wing-flapping

Sand fly remains stationary while beating both wings simultaneously in a series of single flaps, rotating both wings forward in an arc up to a maximum of 70° from the abdomen.

6

Copulation

Male and female copulate facing in opposite directions, with the tips of the abdomen joined. Both male and female remain motionless throughout.

Male-only behaviours

7

Abdomen bending

Male bends his abdomen to the left and right, swaying the genitalia in an arc between the rear legs. Often interspersed with brief displays of wing-flapping.

8

Approach-flapping

Male alternates between stepping towards the female and wing-flapping, often as a precursor to copulation.

9

Copulation attempt

Male bends abdomen forward towards the head before briefly taking off and attempting to make genital contact with the female.