Mating behaviors, receptivity signaling and male abdomen marking of the parasitoid wasp Urolepis rufipes

Urolepis rufipes is a parasitoid wasp that is closely related to the well-studied parasitoid Nasonia vitripennis. This study examined the mating behaviors of U. rufipes and the abdomen marking behavior that the males of this species display. The courtship behaviors of U. rufipes were very similar to those previously reported for N. vitripennis, including mouth extension by the male and antennal folding by the female. N. vitripennis clearly use female antennae to signal receptivity. Since N. vitripennis males are too far forward on the female when mounted, they are unable to feel the rise of her abdomen and do not use the rise as a signal to back up and copulate. The mounted position of U. rufipes males would allow males to use either the female antennal folding or the rise of her abdomen. However, experiments showed that the latter was unnecessary. Females that had their abdomen sealed still folded their antennae to signal receptivity, and when they did, males backed up, so they were not using the rise of the female's abdomen. Female antennae are important in U. rufipes even before receptivity. Females that had their antennae removed were less often mounted and courted and never copulated. During courtship, N. vitripennis males are known to release a pheromone that elicits female receptivity. U. rufipes males may also males that had their mouthparts sealed were less likely to mount and never induced female receptivity and so never copulated. Males abdomen marked most often when with females (regardless of female mating status), after consuming honey and after mating. Females responded to marks by spending more time on marked areas and chose tubes that had marks over those that did not, but left no markings themselves. Males did not appear to respond to marks of other males. However, males seemed to be territorial and were aggressive towards other males that were near their marks.