Female genitalia of Yards. fasciculata and you will actions getting mating plug coupling. (A) Virgin ladies genitalia inside the frontal check. (B) Men genitalia out of pre-copula male, addressing the female genitalia. (C–E) Genital product, metasomal sterna S-VIII and you may S-IX. (F) Male genitalia starting new coupling of your plug: ventral look at genital supplement and you may metasomal sternum S-IX projecting from the looks of your male of the a telescopic course. (G) Male genital product isolated from male’s human body, that have penis valves caused, gonostyli up against the exact opposite standing in terms of the first. (H) Metasomal sterna S-VIII and S-IX, where sternum S-IX assumes on its brand new status inside male’s instinct. (I) Mating connect in more detail, showing the horizontal compression out of gonocoxites. (J) The newest genital chamber off an effective plugged females: the membranous region with this new mating connect affixed.
Throughout the non-Melipona kinds (F
longipes, S. aff. Postica, and you can P. minima), we noticed strong knob valves having mediator curvature and you may a diminished spatha ( Profile step 1)paring the entire morphology regarding dick valves and you will spatha from Yards. fasciculata to the other read species, i discovered that both Yards. flavolineata and you will Meters. seminigra have narrow manhood valves that have low curve. However, M. seminigra keeps less regulators than Meters. flavolineata, and you can a well-established spatha when comparing to additional Melipona ( Contour step one).
Breakdown away from hypothesized plugging procedures
The past reputation away from mating plugs inside mated lady matched up brand new updates of one’s male’s instinct while in the copulation because of “J” way and you can location lower than woman’s gut ( Contour 4C). In every physogastric queens off Meters. fasciculata, i seen brand new mating connect linked to the membranous genital pockets of the manhood valves, towards the spatha skin founded towards the feminine ventral part, placed directly under brand new gonopore ( Figure 3J). We suggest that the brand new mating plug system are triggered when the men genital tablet is actually irreversibly protruded regarding male’s looks, which results in altered positions of gonostyli, manhood valves, and you will gonocoxites.
New mating group of M. fasciculata, according to a video clip listing out-of mating regarding a connected variety. From top to bottom: (A) men in flight, seeking reputation in itself along the lady; (B) arranged male, proving sets from base fitting across the woman’s human anatomy; (C) male raising the instinct of one’s people; (D) male leaving the female once winning mating, that is, the fresh new mating connect accessory. In all parts, male wings is actually represented so you’re able to depict its course through the mating, considering Additional Video clips S1 .
The new mating set of Meters. fasciculata, according to a video clip record out-of mating of a connected types. Throughout: (A) men in-flight, trying to position alone along the ladies; (B) positioned men, appearing sets away from ft fitted over the woman’s human body; (C) male increasing the gut of people; (D) men leaving the female just after effective mating, that is, the latest mating connect attachment. In most pieces, male wings try represented to portray their path during the mating, centered on Supplementary Videos S1 .
In line with the investigations ranging from asleep state of genital capsules and you may triggered state out of mating plugs, its useful morphology, and in movies facts with the mating choices out of a directly related variety ( Secondary Movies S1 ), we naviidte to the site recommend that causing of mating connect takes place in 5 hypothetical actions ( Data 3 and you may cuatro):
Just after immobilizing the feminine looks, a man inserts their metasomal sternum S-VIII in people tergum T-VI, lifting it ( Profile 4C).
Due to the fact people vaginal chamber is actually opened ( Figure 3A), the male gonostyli matches the brand new woman’s genital area. Once placement the fresh new sternum S-VIII, the male metasomal sternum S-IX protrudes out of the male’s body into the brand new woman’s vaginal chamber also the genital product, from the a good telescopic way ( Shape 3F). The newest insertion out-of male genital capsule on the women vaginal chamber isn’t accompanied by the gonostyli, and this move backward into the techniques, leftover away from girls genital chamber ( Figure 3G).