• DOI:10.1126/science.205.4408.825
Corpus ID: 22448636

By Dawn's Early Light: Matutinal Mating and Sex Attractants in a Neotropical Mantid

@article{Robinson1979ByDE,
  title={By Dawn's Early Light: Matutinal Mating and Sex Attractants in a Neotropical Mantid},
  author={M. Robinson and B. Robinson},
  journal={Science},
  year={1979},
  volume={205},
  pages={825 - 827}
}

M. Robinson, B. Robinson

Published 1979

Biology, Medicine

Science

Females of the neotropical mantis Acanthops falcata adopt a special posture at dawn which is maintained for about 20 minutes. During the same period, males fly strongly, even in the absence of females. Our studies show that in this posture females are secreting a pheromone that acts as a sex attractant. All sexual activity in this species normally occurs between dawn and sunrise. It can be triggered by any dark-to-light transition, irrespective of real time. This sexual periodicity is probably… CONTINUE READING

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