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Figure 1 - Steps in male mating behavior. This schematic shows a typical sequence of actions performed by the male following an encounter with a hermaphrodite. When the ventral surface of a male's tail contacts the surface of the hermaphrodite, he stops, presses his tail against the hermaphrodite and begins to back up. Upon reaching an end of the hermaphrodite, he makes a tight ventral-inward curl of his tail and thereby continues backing up over the opposite surface of his intended mate. This turning behavior may be repeated many times before the vulva is located and copulation initiated.