Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Lauxaniidae? - mating (behaviour)

Posted by Dima DD on 05-10-2007 22:06
#1

Hello,

here are several photos of yellow flies (Lauxaniidae? Sapromyza?) where females demonstrate small translucent "hornlets" extruding from their abdomens at mating.

BTW, I've noticed that females play very active role in the courtship (no less than males): they start to attract males (showing this interesting pose with "hornlets" and approaching to partners) immediately after male's arrival at the raspberry leaf. Females frequently raise their forelegs at the process - it is another interesting moment of the show.

Russia, near S.-Petersburg (Toksovo), on raspberry-bush, 26.08.2007, 18:30-20:30

Dima

At first, female alone (and no males nearby):

Posted by Dima DD on 05-10-2007 22:06
#2

Female alone (but male is very close):

Posted by Dima DD on 05-10-2007 22:07
#3

Mating:

Posted by Dima DD on 05-10-2007 22:08
#4

Another view:

Posted by Dima DD on 05-10-2007 22:08
#5

Back view:

Posted by Dima DD on 05-10-2007 22:09
#6

...and the last picture - just for fun! :D

Posted by cosmln on 05-10-2007 22:10
#7

don't know about ID but the photo are just WOW.
thanks for sharing this.

cosmln

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 05-10-2007 22:19
#8

:D
Steve will love this, by sure!
I wonder why the female uplift its first pair of legs. Maybe "she" is trying to scare the voyeur... :D

Edited by jorgemotalmeida on 24-01-2013 03:07

Posted by crex on 05-10-2007 23:31
#9

Great series of photos! :D

Posted by Kahis on 06-10-2007 00:02
#10

Meiosimyza (=Lyciella) - Lauxaniidae.


Posted by Tony Irwin on 06-10-2007 00:15
#11

Congratulations, Dima - excellent series of photos - I will take much more interest in Lauxaniidae having seen these! B)

Posted by Steve Gaimari on 06-10-2007 00:25
#12

Simply awesome!! I've seen the eversible glands, but never in action! Thank you for posting such a wonderful series!:D:D

Posted by Kahis on 06-10-2007 00:35
#13

What is known about the pheromones of tephritoid flies? I have seen some pallopterid males collected from traps baited with tortricid (Lepidoptera) pheromones. All males had the aedeagus exposed, so they had clearly died happy :) But only single flies were in each trap - if the pheromone was a strong attractant, I'd expect to see hundreds as the Palloptera species is common. So the tortricid pheromone must be very weakly attractive to the males at least at long distances. Perhaps it smells a bit like a short-range female pheromone - like, perhaps, the stuff in those paired glands :)


Posted by pierred on 06-10-2007 06:54
#14

Terrific pictures!! Thanks for sharing them!!