Fig. 5.

Efficiency of some steps of mating behavior. Scatter plot of the observed time (A) until the first contact and (B) the first spicule insertion in the conspecific mating partners. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD). This assay was carried out with a single male and 14 hermaphrodites or females on a plate. We considered the first contact to occur when the male stops forward locomotion and pressed his trembling head against his partner’s body and the first contact to occur when the male wrapped around the vulva and kept the posture at least 1 min. Horizontal bars at the top indicate the result of statistical analysis using Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD) test. Identical letters indicate no significant difference at P < 0.01. YH, young hermaphrodite; OH, old hermaphrodite; UF, unmated female; MF, mated female.