Ultrastructure and motility pattern of the spermatozoa of Aleochara curtula (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

Werner, M.; Tscheulin, Thomas; Speck, Thomas; Zissler, Dieter; Peschke, Klaus

doi:10.1016/s1467-8039(02)00046-4

Cited by 17 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…It could also explain why, in insects, homopopulation males sometimes lose in sperm competition with hetero-population males [38]. Although it is not known how the mitochondrial derivatives of insect sperm contribute to motility [39], theoretically, population differences in the competitive ability of sperm could result from divergent selection on mitochondria in females rather than from population-specific selection in males.…”

Section: Opinion Trends In Genetics Vol21 No5 May 2005mentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal inheritance, sexual conflict and the maladapted male

Zeh

2005

Trends in Genetics

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Section: Opinion Trends In Genetics Vol21 No5 May 2005mentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal inheritance, sexual conflict and the maladapted male

Zeh

2005

Trends in Genetics

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“…The minor wave has also been observed to be approximately helical [10], and the combined activity of the two is described as a double-helical beating pattern [5]. The double-wave structure was first observed in Tenebrio molitor and Bacillus rossius by Baccetti et al [11,12], and was also later found in Lygaeus [13], Culicoides melleus [14], Aedes notoscriptus [15], Ceratitis capitata [16], Drosophila obscura [17], Megaselia scalaris [18], and more recently in Aleochara curtula [10] and Drusilla canaliculata [19]. Figure 3 compiles a collection of images of spermatozoa exhibiting the double-wave structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Micro-organisms meanwhile inhabit in a world of low Reynolds numbers, where inertia plays a negligible role and viscous damping is paramount. The Reynolds number ranges from 10 26 for bacteria to 10 22 for spermatozoa [4]. The absence of inertia imposes stringent constraints on a micro-organism's locomotive capabilities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrodynamics of the double-wave structure of insect spermatozoa flagella

Pak

Spagnolie

Lauga

2012

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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In addition to conventional planar and helical flagellar waves, insect sperm flagella have also been observed to display a double-wave structure characterized by the presence of two superimposed helical waves. In this paper, we present a hydrodynamic investigation of the locomotion of insect spermatozoa exhibiting the double-wave structure, idealized here as superhelical waves. Resolving the hydrodynamic interactions with a non-local slender body theory, we predict the swimming kinematics of these superhelical swimmers based on experimentally collected geometric and kinematic data. Our consideration provides insight into the relative contributions of the major and minor helical waves to swimming; namely, propulsion is owing primarily to the minor wave, with negligible contribution from the major wave. We also explore the dependence of the propulsion speed on geometric and kinematic parameters, revealing counterintuitive results, particularly for the case when the minor and major helical structures are of opposite chirality.

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“…The movement of insect spermatozoa has been studied almost exclusively in artificial media (Werner et al 2002 and references therein), and nothing is known how the in vitro sperm motility is displayed within the female genital tract. It has been assumed that spatial restriction of movement as well as the seminal and spermathecal fluids might alter the sperm's behavior inside the female (Cooper 1950, Linley and Simmons 1981, Curtis and Benner 1991, Werner et al 2002, but direct observation of motile sperm inside the female has not been forthcoming.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been assumed that spatial restriction of movement as well as the seminal and spermathecal fluids might alter the sperm's behavior inside the female (Cooper 1950, Linley and Simmons 1981, Curtis and Benner 1991, Werner et al 2002, but direct observation of motile sperm inside the female has not been forthcoming.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Queue up, please! Spermathecal filling in the rove beetle Drusilla canaliculata (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

Werner

Gack²,

Speck

et al. 2007

Naturwissenschaften

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Most studies on insect sperm motility have been conducted in vitro using artificial environments outside the animal's body. Only little is known about the function of motile insect sperm at different sites within the male or female genital tracts. We dissected genital tracts of female rove beetles (Drusilla canaliculata) to show that spermatozoa use their own motility to migrate from the spermatophore into the spermatheca. Our dissection method allowed direct observation and filming of the spermathecal filling process inside the female's genital tract. Spermatozoa were found to enter the spermatheca individually, sometimes in groups of two or three. Although exhibiting only weak motility and no progressive motion in buffer solution, the spermatozoa inside the female show vigorous lashing and reach an average velocity of 47.5 microm s(-1). To gain mobility and speed, the spermatozoa likely utilize the relatively small diameter of the spermathecal duct to push themselves off the duct walls, rather than swimming freely in seminal fluid. The spermatozoa (approximately 1,250 microm) are considerably longer than the distance they have to travel along the spermathecal duct (approximately 800 microm). Our study provides the first direct observation of active sperm migration within the female of an insect stressing the importance of the genital tract as a prerequisite for functional sperm motility.

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Ultrastructure and motility pattern of the spermatozoa of Aleochara curtula (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

Cited by 17 publications

References 27 publications

Maternal inheritance, sexual conflict and the maladapted male

Maternal inheritance, sexual conflict and the maladapted male

Hydrodynamics of the double-wave structure of insect spermatozoa flagella

Queue up, please! Spermathecal filling in the rove beetle Drusilla canaliculata (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

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