Same-sex sexual behavior in Xenogryllus marmoratus (Haan, 1844) (Grylloidea: Gryllidae: Eneopterinae): Observation in the wild from YouTube

Abstract

Searching on the internet for supplementary information about species of interest can be helpful when trying to document a quite common but under studied species. While revising the genus Xenogryllus Bolívar, 1890, we used this method to find additional references about the species Xenogryllus marmoratus (Haan, 1844). We were extremely interested in one video showing an interaction between two males of this species. The video shows a small male of X. marmoratus mounting a larger male of the same species, and eating the product of the metanotal glands. Meanwhile, the larger male tries to transfer his spermatophore to the small one. Same-sex matings have been described in other insect species and are frequently observed in many animal groups. Most of the reported cases of same-sex sexual behavior documented in other species of insects are consistent with two causes: mistakes in sexual recognition and lack of experience. However, there are several hypotheses to explain same-sex sexual behavior that vary according to the context in which the behavior occurs. Here, we describe and discuss this video content in terms of reproductive strategies, in a context of evolution and sexual selection.