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1 July 2000 Behavior and Reproductive Status of Microsepsis armillata (Diptera: Sepsidae) Flies Away from Oviposition Sites
William G. Eberhard
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Abstract

The mystery of where virgin female Microsepsis armillata (Melander & Spuler) copulate has been solved with the discovery of sexual activity in small aggregations that are not tightly associated with the oviposition sites, where matings have been observed previously in this and other sepsid species. Nonvirgin females also mate in these aggregations, and matings at such sites may help explain the otherwise puzzling variations in male precopulatory riding behavior in other sepsids. Approximately 25% of the unpaired females in aggregations carried an unlaid egg in her bursa, and larvae had hatched from some of these eggs. Retention of a bursal egg could prevent intromission by males.

William G. Eberhard "Behavior and Reproductive Status of Microsepsis armillata (Diptera: Sepsidae) Flies Away from Oviposition Sites," Annals of the Entomological Society of America 93(4), 966-971, (1 July 2000). https://doi.org/10.1603/0013-8746(2000)093[0966:BARSOM]2.0.CO;2
Received: 12 October 1999; Accepted: 1 February 2000; Published: 1 July 2000
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KEYWORDS
aggregations
mating
Microsepsis armillata
Sepsidae
virgin females
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