The fresh new gonostyli try showcased into the red, and can end up being clearly seen in recently mated queens

Female genitalia away from M. fasciculata and actions to possess mating plug coupling. (A) Virgin girls genitalia during the frontal glance at. (B) Men genitalia regarding pre-copula male, handling the feminine genitalia. (C–E) Vaginal product, metasomal sterna S-VIII and you can S-IX. (F) Men genitalia carrying out the new coupling of plug: ventral look at genital medicine and you can metasomal sternum S-IX projecting outside of the looks of the male of the an excellent telescopic path. (G) Men vaginal pill isolated regarding male’s muscles, having dick valves brought about, gonostyli against the contrary reputation regarding the original. (H) Metasomal sterna S-VIII and you can S-IX, in which sternum S-IX assumes its brand new standing during the male’s instinct. (I) Mating plug in more detail, showing the brand new horizontal compression off gonocoxites. (J) The genital chamber away from a beneficial connected people: the newest membranous area with the brand new mating connect connected.

Throughout the non-Melipona species (F

longipes, S. aff. Postica, and P. minima), i observed powerful dick valves with mediator curvature and a lower spatha ( Figure step 1)paring the entire morphology away from manhood valves and you may spatha away from Meters. fasciculata to another analyzed kinds, i https://besthookupwebsites.org/local-hookup/anchorage/ discovered that both Yards. flavolineata and you can Meters. seminigra have narrow manhood regulators having lowest curve. Although not, Meters. seminigra have quicker valves than just Meters. flavolineata, and a well-known spatha when compared with another Melipona ( Profile step 1).

Dysfunction of hypothesized plugging steps

The past updates from mating plugs in to the mated female coordinated the newest reputation of one’s male’s instinct while in the copulation because of “J” course and you will placement less than woman’s instinct ( Profile 4C). In all physogastric queens out of Yards. fasciculata, we seen the fresh mating connect attached to the membranous vaginal pouches because of the penis regulators, on spatha skin dependent with the the feminine ventral section, placed under new gonopore ( Contour 3J). We propose that the latest mating connect mechanism is actually triggered in the event the male vaginal supplement is actually irreversibly protruded of male’s human anatomy, which leads to modified positions of one’s gonostyli, penis valves, and you will gonocoxites.

The new mating set of M. fasciculata, predicated on a video checklist from mating away from an associated varieties. From top to bottom: (A) men in flight, looking to reputation by itself along side ladies; (B) organized men, indicating pairs out-of ft installing across the woman’s looks; (C) men increasing the instinct of one’s girls; (D) men making the female immediately following effective mating, that’s, the latest mating plug accessory. Throughout bits, male wings are portrayed in order to portray their movement during the mating, considering Supplementary Video S1 .

This new mating set of Meters. fasciculata, centered on videos number of mating off an associated kinds. Throughout: (A) male in-flight, seeking to condition by itself along the ladies; (B) positioned men, indicating pairs regarding legs fitted along the woman’s looks; (C) male enhancing the instinct of your own women; (D) male leaving the feminine shortly after successful mating, that is, the new mating connect attachment. Throughout pieces, male wings are represented to help you depict its course during mating, centered on Second Films S1 .

According to the evaluation anywhere between resting condition from genital tablets and caused condition out-of mating plugs, their practical morphology, plus video information toward mating behavior out-of a closely relevant types ( Supplementary Videos S1 ), i advise that triggering from mating connect happens in 5 hypothetical measures ( Rates step 3 and you can 4):

Once immobilizing the female human anatomy, a man inserts their metasomal sternum S-VIII according to the people tergum T-VI, lifting it ( Figure 4C).

As the ladies vaginal chamber is actually launched ( Shape 3A), a man gonostyli joins the fresh woman’s genital area. Immediately following placement the newest sternum S-VIII, the male metasomal sternum S-IX protrudes out of the male’s system into the fresh woman’s vaginal chamber as well as the genital pill, by the an effective telescopic movement ( Profile 3F). The fresh new installation away from male vaginal tablet into girls genital chamber isn’t accompanied by the new gonostyli, and therefore flow backwards into the processes, left outside of the lady genital chamber ( Contour 3G).