Evidence for mating plugs in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

Mikheyev, Alexander S.

doi:10.1007/s00040-003-0697-x

Cited by 31 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 12 publications

(9 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Fatty acids (linoleic, oleic, palmitic and stearic acids) [40] produced by males and stored in their sperm storage organs (i.e. seminal vesicles and accessory glands) are transferred as a 'sperm plug' upon copulations to inhibit females from subsequent matings.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male reproductive fitness and queen polyandry are linked to variation in the supergene Gp-9 in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Supergenes are clusters of tightly linked loci maintained in specific allelic combinations to facilitate co-segregation of genes governing adaptive phenotypes. In species where strong selection potentially operates at different levels (e.g. eusocial Hymenoptera), positive selection acting within a population to maintain specific allelic combinations in supergenes may have unexpected consequences for some individuals, including the preservation of disadvantageous traits. The nuclear gene Gp-9 in the invasive fire ant Solenopsis invicta is part of a non-recombining, polymorphic supergene region associated with polymorphism in social organization as well as traits affecting physiology, fecundity and behaviour. We show that both male reproductive success and facultative polyandry in queens have a simple genetic basis and are dependent on male Gp-9 genotype. Gp-9 b males are unable to maintain exclusive reproductive control over their mates such that queens mated to Gp-9 b males remain highly receptive to remating. Queens mated to multiple Gp-9 B males are rare. This difference appears to be independent of mating plug production in fertile males of each Gp-9 genotype. However, Gp-9 b males have significantly lower sperm counts than Gp-9 B males, which could be a cue to females to seek additional mates. Despite the reduced fitness of Gp-9 b males, polygyne worker-induced selective mortality of sexuals lacking b-like alleles coupled with the overall success of the polygyne social form act to maintain the Gp-9 b allele within nature. Our findings highlight how strong worker-induced selection acting to maintain the Gp-9 b allele in the polygyne social form may simultaneously result in reduced reproductive fitness for individual sexual offspring.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male reproductive fitness and queen polyandry are linked to variation in the supergene Gp-9 in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In contrast with mating plugs (or signs) in other insects, the bumblebee mating plug is highly efficient and determines single mating (Baer et al, 2001). Based on structure, position and secretion content, it seems that the male accessory glands of bumblebees and the fire ant Solenopsis invicta are homologous (Mikheyev, 2003). The observation that fire ant male accessory glands contain and transfer the same fatty acids as those of bumblebees makes it likely that both serve to inhibit queen re-mating, although the presence of mating plugs may not be enough to guarantee single insemination (Mikheyev, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on structure, position and secretion content, it seems that the male accessory glands of bumblebees and the fire ant Solenopsis invicta are homologous (Mikheyev, 2003). The observation that fire ant male accessory glands contain and transfer the same fatty acids as those of bumblebees makes it likely that both serve to inhibit queen re-mating, although the presence of mating plugs may not be enough to guarantee single insemination (Mikheyev, 2003). Zander (1916) showed that the morphogenesis of the male reproductive system of honeybees starts during the larval stage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological and ultrastructural changes in the mucus glands of Apis mellifera drones during pupal development and sexual maturation

Moors

Spaas

Koeniger³

et al. 2005

Apidologie

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

-We investigated the morphology and ultrastructure of the mucus glands of Apis mellifera drones, which represent a peculiar type of male accessory gland. The three different parts of the mucus glands (muscle layer, gland epithelium and lumen) change with respect to age in the distal and the proximal parts. The thickness of musculature and gland epithelium is larger at the proximal part than at the distal part, where the diameter of the lumen is larger. The secretory cells of the epithelium reach their maximum activity during the first days of adult life, which results in a maximally filled gland lumen by the age of 6 days. The mucus glands represent a unique situation as they are of mesodermal origin, whereas the majority of exocrine glands are ectodermal. morphology / mucus gland / Apis mellifera / drone

show abstract

“…The mating plug, another product of the AGs, was found earlier to prevent additional inseminations in bumblebees (Baer et al, 2001;Duvoisin et al, 1999) and non-social insects (Bretman et al, 2010;Dottorini et al, 2012;Matsumoto and Suzuki, 1992;Polak et al, 2001), and was suggested to prevent multiple insemination in fire ants (Mikheyev, 2003). However, mating plugs are unlikely to have a similar function in A. colombica.…”

Section: Mating Plugs and Their Putative Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%