Sequential pathways in the mating behavior of the apple snail Pomacea canaliculata (Caenogastropoda: Ampullariidae).

BURELA, SILVANA; MARTÍN, PABLO

MALACOLOGIA

Institute of Malacology, Michigan, EUA

Año: 2009 vol. 51 p. 203 - 210

0076-2997

Knowledge on mating behavior of Pomacea canaliculata comes mostly from non-systematic observations: matings are long lasting (up to 20 h), occur under water at any time of the day or night, and the female feeds on a sheath gland secretion of the males; both males and females show a multiple mating behavior. Our aim was to describe the sequence of actions or states in the mating behavior of this snail and to quantify the frequency of the alternative pathways trough the observation of isolated couples in laboratory trials. The precourtship phase included probing contacts with tentacles, palps, foot or snout, showing a very variable duration; in most cases the male was the one that approached a motionless or passing by female. During the courtship phase the males frequently performed a circling behavior on the female shell; when the male reached the mating position the female frequently rejected it, swinging the shell strongly. The penis sheath intromission at the beginning of the copula phase frequently elicited swinging and withdrawal-wrestling behaviors in the female, interrupting the copula in almost all cases. The postcopula phase was observed in a few cases and occurred when males remained mounted on the female’s shell with their sheath folded. The mate rejection behaviors displayed by females permit the recognition of the female’s perception of a male’s intention to mate. The knowledge of these behaviors will allow the study of sexual preferences, a necessary step to understand mate choice patterns in this snail.