Group oviposition in three platycnemidid species (Odonata: Platycnemididae)

The European Platycnemis acutipennis and P. latipes and the African Mesocnemis singularis aggregate during oviposition.Choice experiments show that, in all three species, groups develop because tandems preferentially land where conspecifics already show oviposition behaviour.Just a single motionless male in the typical vertical position of a tandem male stimulates aggregation and oviposition behaviour in conspecifics.