Temporal and Spatial Patterns of Mating in Rhodnius prolixus

The kissing bug Rhodnius prolixus is a nocturnal species; however, its temporal mating patterns remain unexplored. Copulation lasts about fifty minutes, during which time the couple remains almost motionless. We hypothesized that R. prolixus copulates within shelters to reduce its vulnerability. To test this, we examined the spatial and temporal patterns of its copulation, as well as the potential endogenous regulation of its circadian rhythm, under three conditions: a light:dark cycle (L/D), constant light (L/L), and constant darkness (D/D). Over ten days, the number and the timing of copulation of pairs in arenas containing a shelter were video-recorded. Under the L/D cycle, the pairs mated mainly during daylight hours. This rhythm persisted under the D/D cycle, with a peak extending from the first half of the subjective day to the first half of the subjective night. No rhythm was observed under the L/L cycle. A greater proportion of mating occurred within the shelters during the L/D and L/L cycles, whereas its spatial distribution was random under the D/D cycle. Our results reveal an endogenously controlled circadian rhythm of mating behavior, with mating activity mainly occurring during daylight hours. Additionally, we showed that the pairs copulated inside the shelters. These results provide new insights into the reproductive behavior of R. prolixus.