Pupal-mating
Guides
Deinocerites cancer
Crabhole mosquito, crab hole mosquito
Deinocerites cancer, commonly known as the crabhole mosquito, is a specialized mosquito species that inhabits the burrows of land crabs in coastal environments. First described by Frederick Vincent Theobald in 1901, this species exhibits highly unusual mating behavior in which males copulate with female pupae before or immediately after emergence. The species has a restricted geographic range in the Caribbean, Florida, and parts of Central America, and is tightly associated with mangrove swamps and salt marshes.
Heliconius
longwings, heliconians
Heliconius is a genus of brush-footed butterflies renowned for their bright aposematic wing patterns and Müllerian mimicry rings. Adults are unique among butterflies in their ability to collect and digest pollen, which provides essential amino acids enabling lifespans of up to six months—far exceeding most butterflies. The genus serves as a premier model system for studying speciation, mimicry evolution, and coevolutionary dynamics with their host plants. Approximately 45–50 species occur across the Neotropics, exhibiting complex patterns of wing color convergence and divergence.
Heliconius charithonia
zebra longwing, zebra heliconian
Heliconius charithonia is a medium-sized butterfly with striking black and white longitudinal wing stripes. Adults are notable among butterflies for feeding on both pollen and nectar, enabling synthesis of cyanogenic glycosides that render them unpalatable to predators. The species exhibits communal roosting behavior and specialized pupal mating. Larvae feed exclusively on passionflower vines (Passiflora spp.), with documented performance differences across host species.