Phoretic copulation in Aculeata (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a review

Abstract

Abstract Phoretic copulation is a type of reproductive strategy in which a winged male carries a wingless female during mating through a complex system of genital-locking structures present in both sexes. During flight, the female is suspended from the genitalia of the male and stays in that position during much of the copulation. This kind of mating allows, in addition to the transfer of gametes, the dispersal of females in the environment. Phoretic copulation evolved several times within Hymenoptera, but in groups not closely related phylogenetically and through morphological changes specific to each group. This paper presents a review of phoretic mating in the clade Aculeata, Hymenoptera, especially considering the biomechanical aspects that allow this mating strategy.