The importance of antennae in mating reactions of male Habrobracon..

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Abstract
Male Habrobracon (a parasitic wasp) were deprived of their antennae and placed in a vial with virgin females for 24 hour periods. Examination of the sex of offspring served as a positive test of whether or not copulation had taken place, since in these insects daughters are biparental offspring and males are produced parthenogenetically. Comparison of the results showed production of few females in the pairings with antennaeless males. Observation revealed further that this is not due to any relation between the presence of antennae and copulation, but to the lack or sensitivity of the antennae-less males with a resultant inability to find or become attracted to the female. In a control experiment in which the eyes were blackened, the mating reactions of the male were normal. The author concludes that mating in the Habrobracon has at least two components, the "mating reaction" and the "copulatory reflex." The former is controlled through the antenna, the latter through the central nervous system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

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