On the discovery of a male morph with a novelty alternative mating tactic in the neotropical cricket Macroanaxipha macilenta Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

Abstract

Several animal taxa exhibit discrete male phenotypes, which are related to alternative mating tactics. In this study, we describe a new male phenotype and mating behavior of the cricket species Macroanaxipha macilenta. The most common male phenotype shows male-biased sexual size dimorphism, with wider forewings than those of the new male phenotype. Wide-forewing males produce longer and louder calling songs than narrow-forewing males, and after attracting a female, the wide-forewing male transfers a spermatophore during a 21-s copulation. On the other hand, narrow-forewing males occur at a low frequency in the population (< 20%), produce short whisper calls, and copulate twice with the female. In each copulation, the narrow-forewing male transfers one spermatophore. The first one is removed and eaten by the female shortly after copulation. Then, if the female stays near the male, they copulate again, and a second spermatophore is transferred to the females’ genitalia. Mating duration in narrow-forewing males can last up to 12 min. Both male morphs may represent alternative mating tactics.