Post-insemination associations between males and females in Diplopoda: A remark on Alcock's (1994) predictions of the mate-guarding hypothesis

Abstract

Here I review the most common form of mate-guarding (prolonged copulation) in the Diplopoda. The ten predictions for mate-guarding in Insects are compared using Diplopod examples and evidence in favour of 7 of Alcock’s (1994) predictions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8) was found. Future research on mate-guarding in the Diplopoda may test 2 untested predictions (7 and 10). The last prediction (9) cannot be tested as millipedes are non-territorial.