Do the size and age of mating plugs alter their efficacy in protecting paternity?

Kunz, Katrin; Witthuhn, Melanie; Uhl, Gabriele

doi:10.1007/s00265-014-1742-7

Cited by 16 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 29 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In our double mating trials ( n = 191) with males that possessed only one pedipalp, 67.5% of plugs produced by the first male prevented females from remating (Kunz et al ., ). Of those that successfully coupled to the female genitalia ( n = 62), 10 males (16.1%) used the unplugged contralateral opening resulting in mating plugs on both genital openings (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Detailed investigations of the interaction between male and female structures will focus on the mechanistic aspects that are involved in normal and side‐shifted copulatory coupling. Males that manage to side‐shift when encountering a female with a plugged copulatory duct achieve significantly longer copulation durations and more hematodocha expansions than conventionally, ipsilaterally mating males who are severely constrained by the mating plug (Table ; Kunz et al ., ). Our data strongly suggest that males that use their pedipalps flexibly transfer more sperm.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…For details on rearing and housing of individuals, see Kunz et al . (). After their first mating, we analyzed females under a dissecting microscope to check for the presence of a mating plug.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…After their first mating, we analyzed females under a dissecting microscope to check for the presence of a mating plug. After their second mating, female opisthosomata were fixed in Dubosq‐Brazil solution (Mulisch & Welsch, ) to investigate the presence, position and state of the mating plugs under the SEM (Zeiss: EVO® LS 10) (Kunz et al ., ). We considered the presence of plugs on both copulatory ducts after double mating as evidence of a contralateral mating and thus for versatile pedipalp use of second males.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…a,e) inflates and sperm transfer starts (Kunz, Garbe & Uhl, ). While conducting a study on the efficacy of mating plugs in which virgin females were mated with two males in succession (Kunz et al ., ), we were able to explore if the insertion mode is static as generally assumed or flexible. Before double mating trials, one of the two pedipalps of both males to mate with a female was amputated on the same side (both right or both left) using a pair of high‐precision scissors.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Paired and complex copulatory organs: do they really impede flexible use?

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Animals with internal fertilization possess complex male genitalia that are characterized by rapid and divergent evolution. Such complexity and divergence renders male genitalia highly species specific. Furthermore, in species with paired genitalia in males and females as is typically the case in spiders, the genital complexity is considered to restrict usage of each male intromittent organ (pedipalp) to a specific genital opening of the female genitalia. Here, we report cases of flexible pedipalp insertion (16%) in the dwarf spider Oedothorax retusus – a species with complex pedipalps. A flexible insertion mode allows males of this species to react to the mating history of the female by circumventing the highly effective mating plugs and mating into the unused side. Our findings disagree with the species isolating lock‐and‐key hypothesis for explaining divergence in genital morphology as the ‘key’ can be applied to the mirror‐inversed female ‘lock’ in the spider species O. retusus. Rather, our data suggest that sexual selection is an important underlying selective regime for the evolution of highly complex and diverse genitalia.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Paired and complex copulatory organs: do they really impede flexible use?

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

The morphology of mating plugs and its formation in scorpions: Implications for intersexual participation

Oviedo-Diego

Mattoni

Vrech

et al. 2020

Journal of Morphology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mating plugs have been proposed as a mechanism that has evolved to avoid sperm competition. Their structure and composition vary across taxa and are related to the effectiveness of its function. This effectiveness could be related to different evolutionary interests of the sexes. Urophonius brachycentrus and Urophonius achalensis (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae) are highly suitable species to study mating plugs because both are monandrous species with specific morphological and physiological responses in the female's genitalia. Here, we analyze (a) the morphology and fine structure of the mating plugs of both species, (b) the site of production in males and the formation process of the mating plug, and (c) the changes that it undergoes over time in the female's reproductive tract. In both species, a complex mating plug obliterates the female's genital aperture and fills the genital atrium. We observed considerable interspecific variation in the mating plug morphology. A mating hemi-plug was found surrounding the capsular lobes of the hemispermatophore, which could have a mixed composition (involving portions of the hemispermatophore and glandular products). The glandular portion was transferred in a semi-solid state filling the female's genital atrium and then hardening. Changes that the plug undergoes in the female's genitalia (darkening and increase of the "distal" area of the plug) indicate a participation of the female to the formation of this type of plug. Our study provides new insights into the plugging phenomenon in scorpions, and we discussed the adaptive significance as a post-copulatory mechanism to avoid sperm competition.

show abstract