AN EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF THE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR OF THE PRAYING MANTIS (MANTIS RELIGIOSA L.)

¹ From Tufts College, Massachusetts

1. A number of writers have reported the capture and eating of the male mantis by the female, both before and during copulation. This sexual cannibalism is promoted by captivity or disturbance of the couple before copulation, and is counteracted by the preliminary courtship of the male.

2. The male has better vision than the female, and detects and approaches her only when she is in sight. His approach is very slow and hesitant, and there is complete absence of any display. If he is able to reach the back of the female undetected by her, he is not attacked.

3. If his movements during the approach attract the attention of the female, or she is clasped in an abnormal position, he is attacked and eaten. Since his head is attacked first, an inhibitory center in the subesophageal ganglion is soon destroyed. This center normally inhibits (1) lateral locomotor movements, (2) copulatory movements of the abdomen, which originate in the last abdominal ganglion.

4. These movements consequently commence after destruction of the head and bring the body of the male into the mating position on the back of the female, and copulation is immediately effected.

5. Ovipository movements in the female are similarly promoted by the last abdominal ganglion, and normally inhibited by the subesophageal ganglion.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. L. Barry, G. I. Holwell, and M. E. Herberstein Female praying mantids use sexual cannibalism as a foraging strategy to increase fecundity Behav. Ecol., April 11, 2008; (2008) arm156v2. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. H. ROBINSON and B. ROBINSON By Dawn's Early Light: Matutinal Mating and Sex Attractants in a Neotropical Mantid Science, August 24, 1979; 205(4408): 825 - 827. [Abstract] [PDF]

				I. N. MCDANIEL and W. R. HORSFALL Induced Copulation of Aedine Mosquitoes Science, April 19, 1957; 125(3251): 745 - 745. [PDF]