Mating experience affecting male discrimination between sexes and female morphs in Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur) (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae)

Ischnura senegalensis ♀ ♀ exhibit colour dimorphism, appearing as andromorphs and gynomorphs. Binary choice experiments between sexes and morphs were conducted in the laboratory. Virgin ♂ ♂ reared separately from ♀♀ showed no preference between sexes or between morphs, suggesting that virgin ♂ ♂ were unable to recognize potential mates and had no innate mating preference for a particular ♀ morph. After enclosure with a single ♀ in a small cage, ♂ ♂ that had experienced copulation significantly preferred the same ♀ morph with which they had copulated, while ♂ ♂ that failed to copulate with the ♀ showed no preference. The ♂ ♂ that had experienced copulation significantly preferred ♀♀ over ♂ ♂. Therefore, ability of ♂ ♂ to discriminate between sexes and morphs was confirmed by their copulation experience.