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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Insect Genetics and Biochemistry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #118723
Title: MORPHOLOGY OF THE INTERNAL REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF THE MALE AND FEMALE TWOSPOTTED STINK BUG, PERILLUS BIOCULATUS (F.) (HETEROPTERA: PENTATOMIDAE) AND THE TRANSFER OF PRODUCTS DURING MATING

Author
item Adams, Terrance

Submitted to: Invertebrate Reproduction and Development
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/2001
Publication Date: 5/30/2001
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: In order for Perillus bioculatus females to lay eggs, the females must be mated and male seminal fluid transferred to the female. It is most likely that the seminal fluid contains materials that cause the oviduct to contract resulting in oviposition. This has significance in the development of artificial diets. Male proteins should be monitored to make sure that males reared on artificial diets produce the same ejaculatory pouch proteins as the control males do.

Technical Abstract: The spermathecal duct assembly acts as a valve and in the open position male secretions pass into the spermathecal pouch, but in the closed position sperm enter the spermathecal duct extension and go into the spermathecal bulb. Males have an ejaculatory bulb that is composed of dorsal and ventral units. The dorsal ejaculatory bulb is formed by tissues that are continuous with the walls of the ejaculatory duct. Extensions from the dorsal bulb form the medial and lateral ejaculatory pouches. Ectadenia open into the dorsal bulb and their secretions fill the ejaculatory pouches which increase in volume from 3.5 days postemergence as the male matures. The ventral ejaculatory bulb is muscular and receives the seminal vesicles. Mesadenia open into the seminal vesicles and their secretions, along with sperm, pass through the ventral ejaculatory bulb. The ejaculatory duct consists of outer and inner units. The outer unit is a continuation of the dorsal ejaculatory bulb while the inner unit is a continuation of the ventral ejaculatory bulb. During mating, the male genitalia clasp a bulb on the vaginal genital plate and materials from the male are introduced directly into the spermathecal duct. Within 1.5 hours of mating, male ejaculatory pouch volume decreased 86%, but was completely recharged within 24 hours of mating. Spermathecal pouch volume increased more than 2 fold after mating for 0.5 hr. Three soluble glycoproteins, p1, p2, and p3 with molecular masses of 101.9, 86.3, and 72.8 kDa , respectively, were stored in the ejaculatory pouches and transferred to the female spermathecal pouch during mating.