TY - JOUR

T1 - Courtship behaviour in the sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis, the New World vector of visceral leishmaniasis

AU - Bray, D. P.

AU - Hamilton, J. G.C.

PY - 2007/12/1

Y1 - 2007/12/1

N2 - Courtship behaviour in Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz and Neiva (Diptera: Psychodidae) was examined to determine the sequence of behaviours that occur prior to copulation. Courtship consisted of a series of male and female touching and wing-flapping behaviours, with males performing a greater variety of wing-flapping behaviours than previously described. Occurrence of male approach-flapping, semi-circling and female stationary-flapping were all predictors of eventual copulation, and may coincide with the dispersal of pheromones or the production of auditory signals important to courtship. Touching occurred in the majority of observations, with contact most often made with the tips of the legs and antennae. This behaviour, not previously described in sandflies, was initiated by males and females, and may indicate the use of contact pheromones, a form of communication previously overlooked in L. longipalpis. Future studies are required to separate the auditory and chemical signals associated with wing-flapping, and to confirm whether L. longipalpis possesses cuticular hydrocarbons capable of inducing behavioural responses. The identification of signals that inhibit sexual behaviour during courtship may be particularly relevant to developing mating disruption techniques against L. longipalpis.

AB - Courtship behaviour in Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz and Neiva (Diptera: Psychodidae) was examined to determine the sequence of behaviours that occur prior to copulation. Courtship consisted of a series of male and female touching and wing-flapping behaviours, with males performing a greater variety of wing-flapping behaviours than previously described. Occurrence of male approach-flapping, semi-circling and female stationary-flapping were all predictors of eventual copulation, and may coincide with the dispersal of pheromones or the production of auditory signals important to courtship. Touching occurred in the majority of observations, with contact most often made with the tips of the legs and antennae. This behaviour, not previously described in sandflies, was initiated by males and females, and may indicate the use of contact pheromones, a form of communication previously overlooked in L. longipalpis. Future studies are required to separate the auditory and chemical signals associated with wing-flapping, and to confirm whether L. longipalpis possesses cuticular hydrocarbons capable of inducing behavioural responses. The identification of signals that inhibit sexual behaviour during courtship may be particularly relevant to developing mating disruption techniques against L. longipalpis.

KW - Courtship behaviour

KW - Courtship songs

KW - Lutzomyia longipalpis

KW - Mating disruption

KW - Parading

KW - Wing-flapping

U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2007.00700.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2007.00700.x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 18092971

AN - SCOPUS:37349132290

VL - 21

SP - 332

EP - 338

JO - Medical and Veterinary Entomology

JF - Medical and Veterinary Entomology

SN - 0269-283X

IS - 4

ER -