Observations On the Sexual Behaviour of Some Longicorn Beetles, Subfamily Lepturinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)
AbstractA description is given of the sexual behaviour of 16 longicorn beetles of the subfamily Lepturinae. The following points have been investigated:- 1. Stimulation of the female performed by the male either as a "licking" or combined "licking and tapping" of the female elytra or the grasping of an antenna of the female. 2. Movements of the antennae of the male, which seem to be an expression of the "state of excitement" of the male. These movements are in principle thought to be one of the behaviour patterns originally present in the order Coleoptera. 3. A "round dance", one of the methods for the female to throw off the male after copula, is described. 4. A selection of partner according to size is described in the genus Rhagium. 5. A comparative analysis is attempted for some species and systematic conclusions of such comparisons are proposed.