Hammering, mauling, and kissing: stereotyped courtship behavior in Cardiocondyla ants

DOI to cite this document:: 10.5283/epub.5666

Mercier, J.-L. ; Lenoir, J.-C. ; Eberhardt, A. ; Frohschammer, S. ; Williams, C. ; Heinze, Jürgen

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Date of publication of this fulltext: 05 Aug 2009 13:50

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Abstract

Sex appears to be a rather prosaic and casual event in the life of most social Hymenoptera. In contrast, mating in the ant genus Cardiocondyla is regularly preceded by a prolonged and stereotypic courtship display. Pummeling the head of the female with mandibles and / or antennae and vibrations of the gaster, presumably stridulation, are essential parts of male courtship. The overall structure of ...