THE TIE-IN OF MALE BODY WIDTH ON COPULATION DURATION IN CENTROBOLUS COOK, 1897

Author Name: M. Cooper

Volume/Issue: 03/01

Country: South Africa

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://www.doi-ds.org/doilink/06.2022-88932399/UIJIR

Affiliation:

University of Johannesburg, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Body size is a correlate of copulation duration in Centrobolus inscriptus. I tested for the presence of a relationship between male body width and copulation duration across Centrobolus in performing mating experiments. Males differed significantly from females in body mass, body length, and dorsal tergite width. Male width (n=88, 11, 18, 5) was positively related to copulation duration (n=51, 115, 32, 8) (r=0.95, Z score=1.81, n=4, p=0.04). Larger males were suspected to be more competitive.

Key words: Arthropods, body size, Centrobolus, copulation duration