Mating behavior of the hematophagous bug Triatoma infestans: Role of Brindleyʹs and metasternal glands

We investigated if Brindleyʹs and metasternal glands are involved in the sexual behavior of Triatoma infestans. In laboratory assays, we analyzed the effect of selective occlusion of Brindleyʹs and metasternal glands of the female (separately and together) on the behavior of males. Control assays without occlusion of glands were also performed. We quantitatively tested if such glands affect mating occurrence, the copulatory attempts of males, and the aggregation of males around a mating couple. The number of mating attempts by males did not differ between treatments, demonstrating that likelihood of males mating did not depend on which gland is occluded in the female. In the absence of any occlusion, T. infestans mated and males aggregated. The proportion of copulations and aggregation behavior of males did not differ between treatments when femaleʹs Brindleyʹs glands were occluded. However, when metasternal glands were occluded, the proportion of mating couples decreased and males did not aggregate. We demonstrated that the metasternal glands of the female are involved in the sexual behavior of T. infestans, while Brindleyʹs glands seem to have no effect on mating behavior. Copulation and aggregation behavior of males likely result from the eventual release of volatiles from the femaleʹs metasternal glands.