Genital coupling and copulatory wounding in Drosophila teissieri (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (12) ◽  
pp. 1437-1440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshitaka Kamimura ◽  
Hiroyuki Mitsumoto
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Dorsal Side ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Evolutionary Significance ◽  
Evolutionary Transitions ◽  
Paired Male ◽  
Drosophila Teissieri ◽  
Male Genital

We report genital coupling of Drosophila teissieri Tsacas, 1971, a member of the Drosophila melanogaster species subgroup. The species subgroup consists of nine described species including the model organism Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830. Despite numerous studies on the biology of this group, our understanding of the evolutionary significance of the diversity in their genital structures is limited. This study provides evidence that (i) during the copulation, which lasts 41.1 min, a paired male genital part (dorsal branches of the basal processes of the aedeagus) open after being inserted into the female reproductive tract, (ii) female D. teissieri have a pair of pockets on the dorsal side of their genitalia that receive bifurcated spines of the male genitalia (ventral branches of the basal processes of the aedeagus), and (iii) male genital parts, especially unique strong spines of the cerci, cause multiple copulatory wounds on membranous areas of the female genitalia. Within the established phylogeny of the D. melanogaster species subgroup, we discuss possible functions of and evolutionary transitions in these genital structures.

scholarly journals Male density and rapid evolution of genital morphology in the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Soper ◽  
W. L. Macy
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Callosobruchus Maculatus ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Spine Length ◽  
Seed Beetle ◽  
Male Density ◽  
Testes Size ◽  
Seven Generations ◽  
Male Genital

SummaryMale reproductive structures are known to be extremely diverse, particularly in insect taxa. Male genital structures are thought to be some of the fastest evolving traits, but the processes responsible for this pattern remain unclear. In the present study we manipulated the mating regimes of Callosobruchus maculatus, a seed beetle, to determine if male genital structures would be altered under forced monogamy and polyandry. Males in this species have an intromittent organ that contains spines that are known to puncture the female reproductive tract. We measured both testes size and genital spine length in monogamous and polyandrous treatments over seven generations. We found that testes size was not significantly different between treatments, but that genital spine length was significantly longer in the polyandrous treatment within seven generations. These results highlight the fact that evolution can occur rapidly when under strong sexual selection, a process that has been implicated in leading to morphological differences in male genitalia.

scholarly journals Structural complexity and molecular heterogeneity of a butterfly ejaculate reflect a complex history of selection

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (27) ◽  
pp. E5406-E5413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camille Meslin ◽  
Tamara S. Cherwin ◽  
Melissa S. Plakke ◽  
Jason Hill ◽  
Brandon S. Small ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Properties ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Pieris Rapae ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Protein Composition ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Evolutionary Significance ◽  
Molecular Heterogeneity ◽  
Outer Envelope ◽  
History Of

Male ejaculates are often structurally complex, and this complexity is likely to influence key reproductive interactions between males and females. However, despite its potential evolutionary significance, the molecular underpinnings of ejaculate structural complexity have received little empirical attention. To address this knowledge gap, we sought to understand the biochemical and functional properties of the structurally complex ejaculates of Pieris rapae butterflies. Males in this species produce large ejaculates called spermatophores composed of an outer envelope, an inner matrix, and a bolus of sperm. Females are thought to benefit from the nutrition contained in the soluble inner matrix through increases in longevity and fecundity. However, the indigestible outer envelope of the spermatophore delays female remating, allowing males to monopolize paternity for longer. Here, we show that these two nonsperm-containing spermatophore regions, the inner matrix and the outer envelope, differ in their protein composition and functional properties. We also reveal how these divergent protein mixtures are separately stored in the male reproductive tract and sequentially transferred to the female reproductive tract during spermatophore assembly. Intriguingly, we discovered large quantities of female-derived proteases in both spermatophore regions shortly after mating, which may contribute to spermatophore digestion and hence, female control over remating rate. Finally, we report evidence of past selection on these spermatophore proteins and female proteases, indicating a complex evolutionary history. Our findings illustrate how structural complexity of ejaculates may allow functionally and/or spatially associated suites of proteins to respond rapidly to divergent selective pressures, such as sexual conflict or reproductive cooperation.

Sexually transmitted disease in birds: occurrence and evolutionary significance

1993 ◽  
Vol 339 (1290) ◽  
pp. 491-497 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Transmitted Disease ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Reproductive Physiology ◽  
Evolutionary Significance ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Secondary Sexual Characteristics ◽  
Sexual Characteristics ◽  
Sexual Selection Theory

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDS) span two current areas of sexual selection theory, namely the roles of multiple mating in determining individual reproductive success, and of parasites in mate choice, yet have been relatively neglected in the ecological literature. I reviewed the occurrence of STDS in populations of commercially kept birds and found widespread evidence for the existence of pathogenic STDS in such populations. STDs may have important consequences for the evolution of behaviour, reproductive physiology and some secondary sexual characteristics. Where STDS are costly they are hypothesized to affect the evolution of mating systems, and, via selection for hostility in the female reproductive tract, to explain high levels of sperm mortality after insemination. The potential for coevolutionary cycling is large, as some STDS may coevolve with female and male reproductive physiology, which may themselves coevolve. Although little information currently exists concerning the occurrence of STDS in wild birds, techniques for their identification are well established. This study raises a number of testable predictions about the consequences of STDS for avian reproductive biology, and I suggest that stds should be considered as a potentially powerful factor in future studies of mate choice and sperm competition.

The formation, transfer, and fate of spermatophores in Photinus fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)

1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 1202-1207 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. D. van der Reijden ◽  
Jeff D. Monchamp ◽  
Sara M. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Rhodamine B ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Mating Systems ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Insect Species ◽  
Male Accessory Glands ◽  
Accessory Glands ◽  
Paired Male ◽  
The Many

Fireflies in the genus Photinus have been assumed previously to be among the many insect species in which males transfer primarily sperm during mating. In this study, male P. ignitus and P. marginellus were found to produce a complex proteinaceous spermatophore in four paired male accessory glands, a major component of the spermatophore being formed within prominent spiral glands. The spermatophore is transferred to the female within the first 40 min of copulation, and sperm bundles are released into the spermatheca. The remainder of the spermatophore subsequently undergoes digestion within a specialized sac in the female reproductive tract. To examine the function of male spermatophores, male P. marginellus were fed rhodamine B, resulting in the production of intensely fluorescent spermatophores. After mating with rhodamine-dyed males, females incorporated material derived from male spermatophores into their oocytes within 58 h post mating. Nutrient donations from males during mating are expected to play particularly important roles in female oogenesis in insects with nonfeeding adults, such as Photinus spp. The presence of spermatophores in Photinus is related to marked differences among species in their life histories, mating systems, and mating behaviors.

XX.—Studies on Reproduction in the Albino Mouse. III. The Duration of Life of Spermatozoa in the Female Reproductive Tract

1940 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
pp. 207-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Merton
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Insemination ◽  
Genital Tract ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Female Genital Tract ◽  
Maximum Activity ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Male Genital Tract ◽  
Exact Data ◽  
Female Genital ◽  
Male Genital

The method of artificial insemination in the mouse, which has been used successfully only once previously (Mark and Long, 1911), has made it possible to collect exact data on the duration of life and the fertilising capacity of spermatozoa in the female genital tract. Earlier results concerning the conditions under which spermatozoa from the male genital tract attain their maximum activity (Merton, II) and the exact knowledge of the time of parturition (Merton, I) were helpful in carrying out artificial insemination during the following œstrous period.

scholarly journals Quantitative proteomics identification of seminal fluid proteins in male Drosophila melanogaster

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irem Sepil ◽  
Ben R Hopkins ◽  
Rebecca Dean ◽  
Marie-Laëtitia Thézénas ◽  
Philip D Charles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Quantitative Proteomics ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Seminal Fluid ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Label Free ◽  
Seminal Fluid Proteins ◽  
Copy Numbers ◽  
Before And After

AbstractSeminal fluid contains some of the fastest evolving proteins currently known. These seminal fluid proteins (Sfps) play crucial roles in reproduction, such as supporting sperm function, and – particularly in insects – modifying female physiology and behaviour. Identification of Sfps in small animals is challenging, and often relies on samples taken from the female reproductive tract after mating. A key pitfall of this method is that it might miss Sfps that are of low abundance due to dilution in the female-derived sample or rapid processing in females. Here we present a new and complimentary method, which provides added sensitivity to Sfp identification. We applied label-free quantitative proteomics to Drosophila melanogaster male reproductive tissue – where Sfps are unprocessed, and highly abundant – and quantified Sfps before and immediately after mating, to infer those transferred during copulation. We also analysed female reproductive tracts immediately before and after copulation to confirm the presence and abundance of known and candidate Sfps, where possible. Results were cross-referenced with transcriptomic and sequence databases to improve confidence in Sfp detection. Our data was consistent with 124 previously reported Sfps. We found 8 high-confidence novel candidate Sfps, which were both depleted in mated versus unmated males and identified within the reproductive tract of mated but not virgin females. We also identified 31 more candidates that are likely Sfps based on their abundance, known expression and predicted characteristics, and revealed that four proteins previously identified as Sfps are at best minor contributors to the ejaculate. The estimated copy numbers for our candidate Sfps were lower than for previously identified Sfps, supporting the idea that our technique provides a deeper analysis of the Sfp proteome than previous studies. Our results demonstrate a novel, high-sensitivity approach to the analysis of seminal fluid proteomes, whose application will further our understanding of reproductive biology.

Effect of Contraceptive Steroids on the Endometrium of Guinea Pig: SEM study

1977 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 668-669
Author(s):  
Mai M. Said ◽  
Ramesh K. Nayak ◽  
Randall E. McCoy
Keyword(s):  
Guinea Pig ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Human Female ◽  
Surface Ultrastructure ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Sem Study ◽  
Uterine Mucosa ◽  
Group 1

Burgos and Wislocki described changes in the mucosa of the guinea pig uterus, cervix and vagina during the estrous cycle investigated by transmission electron microscopy. More recently, Moghissi and Reame reported the effects of progestational agents on the human female reproductive tract. They found drooping and shortening of cilia in norgestrel and norethindrone- treated endometria. To the best of our knowledge, no studies concerning the effects of mestranol and norethindrone given concurrently on the three-dimensional surface features on the uterine mucosa of the guinea pig have been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mestranol and norethindrone on surface ultrastructure of guinea pig uterus by SEM.Seventy eight animals were used in this study. They were allocated into two groups. Group 1 (20 animals) was injected intramuscularly 0.1 ml vegetable oil and served as controls.

Surface ultrastructure of danazol treated rat endometrium: A SEM study

1983 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 556-557
Author(s):  
R.P. Apkarian ◽  
J.S. Sanfilippo
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Breast Disease ◽  
Distal Segment ◽  
Uterine Horn ◽  
Female Reproductive Tract ◽  
Ultrastructural Changes ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Sprague Dawley

The synthetic androgen danazol, is an isoxazol derivative of ethisterone. It is utilized in the treatment of endometriosis, fibrocystic breast disease, and has a potential use as a contraceptive. A study was designed to evaluate the ultrastructural changes associated with danazol therapy in a rat model. The preliminary investigation of the distal segment of the rat uterine horn was undertaken as part of a larger study intended to elucidate the effects of danazol on the female reproductive tract.Cross-sections (2-3 mm in length) of the distal segment of the uterine horn from sixteen Sprague-Dawley rats were prepared for SEM. Ten rats in estrus served as controls and six danazol treated rats were noted to have alterations of the estrus cycle i.e. a lag in cycle phase or noncycling patterns. Specimens were fixed in 3% glutaraldehyde in 0.05M phosphate buffer containing CaCl2 at pH 7.0-7.4 and chilled to 4°C. After a brief wash in distilled water, specimens were passed through a graded series of ethanol, critical point dryed in CO2 from absolute ethanol, and coated with 6nm Au. Observations were made with an IS1-40 SEM operated at 15kV.

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