The extraordinary mating system of Zeus bugs (Heteroptera: Veliidae: Phoreticovelia sp.)

Abstract

Wingless female Zeus bugs (genus: Phoreticovelia) produce a secretion from dorsal glands that males feed upon when riding on females. This unique form of sex-role-reversed nuptial feeding may have set the stage for an unusual mating system. Here, we provide natural history details of the mating behaviour for two Zeus bug species. While these species have many mating behaviours in common, the wing morphs within species exhibit entirely different mating strategies. Adult wingless females are ridden permanently by adult wingless males. In the wild, adult sex-ratios among the wingless morph are male-biased; few unmounted adult females exist and many males instead ride immature females who also p..