Dataset Information

Ceraphron krogmanni (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae), a new species from Lower Saxony with unusual male genitalia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Male genitalia phenotypes of Ceraphron (Jurine, 1807) are informative for species delimitation, but due to their minute size, these characters have not been used extensively. Recent developments in visualisation techniques, e.g. confocal laser scanning microscopy and high resolution bright field imaging, allow for more thorough examination of these minute anatomical structures and the development of a robust, male genitalia-based taxonomic system. We also establish a character set, a template, that will facilitate future revisions of these wasps.

New information

Ceraphron krogmanni sp. nov. is described with outsized male genitalia and multiple diagnostic traits that are unique amongst Ceraphron species.

SUBMITTER: Ulmer JM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5915395 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

<i>Ceraphron krogmanni</i> (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae), a new species from Lower Saxony with unusual male genitalia.

Ulmer Jonah M JM Miko Istvan I Deans Andrew R AR

Biodiversity data journal 20180417 6

<h4>Background</h4>Male genitalia phenotypes of <i>Ceraphron</i> (Jurine, 1807) are informative for species delimitation, but due to their minute size, these characters have not been used extensively. Recent developments in visualisation techniques, <i>e.g.</i> confocal laser scanning microscopy and high resolution bright field imaging, allow for more thorough examination of these minute anatomical structures and the development of a robust, male genitalia-based taxonomic system. We also establi ...[more]

PMID: 29706790

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Project description:BackgroundAsymmetric genitalia have repeatedly evolved in animals, yet the underlying causes for their evolution are mostly unknown. The fruit fly Drosophila pachea has asymmetric external genitalia and an asymmetric phallus with a right-sided phallotrema (opening for sperm release). The complex of female and male genitalia is asymmetrically twisted during copulation and males adopt a right-sided copulation posture on top of the female. We wished to investigate if asymmetric male genital morphology and a twisted gentitalia complex may be associated with differential allocation of sperm into female sperm storage organs.MethodsWe examined the internal complex of female and male reproductive organs by micro-computed tomography and synchrotron X-ray tomography before, during and after copulation. In addition, we monitored sperm aggregation states and timing of sperm transfer during copulation by premature interruption of copulation at different time-points.ResultsThe asymmetric phallus is located at the most caudal end of the female abdomen during copulation. The female reproductive tract, in particular the oviduct, re-arranges during copulation. It is narrow in virgin females and forms a broad vesicle at 20 min after the start of copulation. Sperm transfer into female sperm storage organs (spermathecae) was only in a minority of examined copulation trials (13/64). Also, we found that sperm was mainly transferred early, at 2-4 min after the start of copulation. We did not detect a particular pattern of sperm allocation in the left or right spermathecae. Sperm adopted a granular or filamentous aggregation state in the female uterus and spermathecae, respectively.DiscussionNo evidence for asymmetric sperm deposition was identified that could be associated with asymmetric genital morphology or twisted complexing of genitalia. Male genital asymmetry may potentially have evolved as a consequence of a complex internal alignment of reproductive organs during copulation in order to optimize low sperm transfer rates.