Copula Duration, Insemination, and Sperm Allocation in Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

The juxtaposition and functional relationship of the sperm storage organs in Anastrepha ludens (Loew) is described. The spermatheca squash technique has been used to determine mated status in tephritid fruit flies, and thus as a measure of compatibility and coverage for sterile insect technique programs. Female A. ludens have four seminal storage organs: three spermathecae and a ventral receptacle. By interrupting coitus at set intervals, it is shown that the ventral receptacle fills first and after 15-30 min the spermathecae begin to fill. Among wild captured flies, all mature (gravid) females had semen in the ventral receptacle, but only 40-60% had sperm in at least one spermatheca. Therefore, examination of the ventral receptacle rather than the spermathecae alone is the more reliable method for determining mated status.

Oviposition after sex: mated Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae) females increase oviposition without receiving an ejaculate

“…For example, mechanosensitive neurons in the female reproductive tract can generate stimuli that ready the female for egg laying (Gou et al 2014). Tephritids store sperm in a ventral receptacle and in spermathecae, and female contractions and muscle fibres around the ventral receptacle aid in sperm storage (Fritz and Turner 2002;Mossinson and Yuval 2003;Pérez-Staples et al 2014;Thomas et al 2014). However, the present study supported the mechanical stimulus hypothesis in that mating per seregardless of whether an ejaculate was receivedincreased the likelihood that a female would oviposit and the number of eggs laid compared to virgin females.…”

Post‐mating gene expression of Mexican fruit fly females: disentangling the effects of the male accessory glands

“…In A. ludens , as in other tephritids, males deposit sperm in the ventral receptacle during mating. Thus, throughout copulation and afterwards, sperm needs to migrate to the spermathecae of the females located at the end of long spermathecal tubes and be subsequently released for fertilization (Marchini et al ., 2001; Fritz, 2004; Pérez‐Staples et al ., 2007, 2014; Thomas et al ., 2014). These processes of sperm storage and release of both sperm and eggs within the female reproductive tract are likely to be aided through muscle contractions, as has been found for D. melanogaster (Adams and Wolfner, 2007; Mattei et al ., 2015).…”

Age-Related Sperm Production, Transfer, and Storage in the Sweet Potato Weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

“…It has been demonstrated in several species (Fowler et al 1968;Gilbert 1981;Eady 1994;Yuval et al 1996;Price et al 2009;Pérez-Staples et al 2010;Thomas et al 2014) that only part of the sperm ejaculated by males can enter the spermatheca. For example, excess sperm is ejected by females in Locusta migratoria (Reinhardt and Meister 2000) and Chorthippus grasshoppers (Reinhardt 2000).…”

“…In insects, the morphology of female reproductive organs and the number of spermathecae varies among species (Calder 1990;Pascini et al 2013;Souza et al 2014). Some insects, such as the tephritid fly Anastrepha ludens (Loew), have additional organs (called seminal receptacle) in addition to their spermathecae for sperm storage (Thomas et al 2014). Some species have a hard spermathecae, which may prevent the entry of excess sperm.…”