Abstract
MALES of the mealy bug, Planococcus citri, do not feed throughout their nymphal stages of development nor after they emerge as adults. They are, nevertheless, highly active in mating during the few days of their short life as mature individuals. James1 has observed that a single male may copulate with as many as 23 females in succession, and the average number of females fertilized by 13 individual males was 9.07. During my experience with mealy bugs cultured in the laboratory on potato, the observation has been made many times that two males will copulate simultaneously with one female while yet a third male may be attempting to do the same.
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James, H. C., Bull. Ent. Res., 28, 429 (1937).
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NELSON-REES, W. Triple Coitus in the Mealy Bug, Planococcus citri (Risso). Nature 183, 479 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/183479b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/183479b0
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