Haptosquilla courtship

[Gonodactylus]

Haptosquilla trispinosa has some of the most elaborate courtship found in stomatopods. Early on in the sequence, the female blocks her cavity entrance using her telson shield. The male will approach gingerly and try to scratch the female's telson. She usually responds with repeated attacks and threats, but if the male is persistent, eventually she will come part way out of the entrance and allow the male to mount. There is no mate guarding in this species and females tend to mate preferentially with males smaller than themselves - presumably because the smaller males pose less of a threat trying to take the female's cavity.

I've been documenting this behaviour and will post more images from time to time.

Roy

 

[travisurfer]

amazing, keep up the good work.

 

[Gonodactylus]

I forgot that I already posted an image of the result.

Roy

 

[chilyb56]

awesome pics!

 

[sandlot13]

thats tight!

 

[esco]

whoa, that looks intense! :eek2:

 

[travisurfer]

That is one of the coolest pics ever!