Mating and aggregative behaviors among basal hexapods in the Early Cretaceous
Fig 2
Fossil and extant Sminthurididae showing mating behavior and/or its underlying anatomy.
(A) Dorsal habitus of the male of Pseudosminthurides stoechus (holotype; accession number MCNA 12788) as preserved in Early Cretaceous Spanish amber. Left arrow indicates the left modified clasping antenna. Right arrow indicates the wing-like enlarged mucrones, an adaptation to the epineustic way of life. (B and C) Reproduction biology of Recent Sminthurides aquaticus in a pond (coordinates: 52°16'11.9"N 8°06'46.4"E; Osnabrück, Germany) (images credit K. Beck, with permission). Pair formation on the water surface (B). The female carries the smaller male raised in the air as part of the courtship behavior (C). Body size of S. aquaticus is up to 1.0 mm in females, and 0.3–0.4 mm in males. Scale bar, 200 μm (A).
