196 
Psyche 
[June 
are known to initiate copulation when males and females face op- 
posite directions (Olsen, 1910; Esselbaugh, 1948; Mitchell and 
Mau, 1969; Alcock, 1971; Fish and Alcock, 1973; and Gamboa and 
Alcock, 1973). 
In M. histrionica, male antennation of the female abdomen is 
followed by female abdominal-raising. Male M. histrionica did not 
attempt to raise female abdomens with their heads as do other 
males of genera in which bugs initiate copulation while facing op- 
posite directions (Gamboa and Alcock, 1973). In this species, male 
antennation might be a more derived behavior than male use of 
heads to raise female abdomens as displayed in other species. 
John Alcock (pers. comm.) observed about 25 courting pairs of 
M. histrionica on C/eome jonesii (MacBride) Tibestrom (Cappa- 
ridaceae) on which they also fed, in Patagonia, Arizona, in July 
1976. Bug courtship in Arizona was similar to that which we ob- 
served, but in addition, males used their abdominal tips to push 
at and lift female abdomens. Alcock saw many pairs in copula; 
however, none of the observed courtships led to copulation. 
As noted above, Murgantica histrionica was polyandrous and 
polygynous in our laboratory study. These behaviors also occur 
in Podisus modestus (Dallas) (Tostowaryk, 1971) and in Nezara 
viridu/a (L.) (Mitchell and Mau, 1969). 
Acknowledgements 
Jon Herring (USDA, Washington, D. C.) made available his 
pentatomid literature file for this study. John Alcock (Arizona 
State University) and Lawrence S. Oliver (Georgetown University) 
offered important suggestions regarding a draft of this note. 
Literature Cited 
Alcock, J. 
1971. The behavior of a stink bug, Euschistus conspersus Uhler (Hemiptera: 
Pentatomidae). Psyche 78: 218-228. 
Canerday, T. 
1965. On the biology of the harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica (Hemiptera: 
Pentatomidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 58: 931-932. 
Chittenden, F. H. 
1920. Harlequin cabbage bug and its control. U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers Bull. 
1061. 
