Post-copulatory behaviour in the dragonfly Sympetrum parvulum bartenef (Anisoptera : libellulidae)

According to their social status, the males are divided into 2 categories: territory holders (territorial males) and non-tenitory holders (wandering m ales). The duration of copulation was longer in wandering (461.5 +/- 347.8 s, n=46) than in territorial pairs (201.3 +/- 149.8 s, n=85). Oviposition m odes are 3-fold: viz. (1) single, with non-contact guarding (territorial pa irs: 115.1 +/- 75.5 s, n=27, wandering pairs: 133.9 +/- 45.5 s, n=14): - (2 ) tandem oviposition (territorial pairs: 214.6 +/- 76.6 s, n=5; wandering p airs: 141.0 +/- 76.2 s, n=7); - and (3) tandem oviposition + non-contact gu arding (NCGO) (territorial pairs: 131.6 +/- 93.8 s, n=5; wandering pairs: 1 57.5 +/- 72.8 s, n=2). The first type was mostcommon in territorial (75%) a nd in wandering pairs (62.1%). The second type was in wandering pairs (24.1 %) twice as frequent as in territorial pairs (10.4%). The third mode was in frequent (territorial pairs: 14.6%, wandering pairs: 13.8%). The relationsh ips between male social status and the interference of territorial males on one hand, and the duration of copulation and the oviposition mode on the o ther, are discussed. The effects of vegetation and air temperature on the o viposition mode are briefly outlined.