Influence of lateralization on male mating success of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract: Lateralization of the brain is a behavioral trait that has been extensively investigated in all vertebrate classes, but the knowledge in invertebrates is narrow. There is an increasing interest to examine this trait in several groups, including stored-product insects. In the present study, we focused on the impact of lateralization on male mating success of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Both species exhibited left-biased mountings that led to higher mating success over the right-biased males, indicating that this trait may be a useful tool for mass-rearing when it is necessary in the large-scale field or laboratory experiments.