Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that adults of flightless long‐winged (macropterous) and short‐winged (brachypterous) morphs of Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.) (Heteroptera) differ in their walking path characteristics and dispersal ability. Descriptive variables such as the distance moved, mean velocity, time in observation zone, turn angle, angular velocity, meander and sinuosity were computed from walking track data obtained with the use of the computerized system EthoVision. The macropterous bugs differed from the brachypterous ones by higher mean and angular velocity and distance moved, by shorter time spent in the observation zone, and by lower turn angle, meander and sinuosity parameters. The analysis of locomotory tracks revealed that the walking path of macropters is less tortuous than that of brachypters. Estimation of mean spatial displacement distance attained by two wing morphs indicate higher dispersal activity of macropters, and an important role of the macropterous morph in the dispersal strategy of this bug and spreading of the macropterous genotype into new areas. The results obtained are in accordance with our hypothesis that flightless macropters of P. apterus maintain higher dispersal ability than brachypters despite the evolutionary loss of flight capability.
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