Testicular Changes of Honey Bee Drones,Apis mellifera(Hymenoptera: Apidae), During Sexual Maturation

Abstract

The normal developmental anatomy and histology of the reproductive tract of the honey bee drone, Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758), has been well documented. The post-emergence maturation changes of the accessory glands are likewise well understood, but the normal histological changes of the testicle undergoing physiologic atrophy are not well characterized. To address this knowledge gap, herein we describe the anatomy and sequential histological stages of normal testicular atrophy of drones sampled daily from emergence to sexual maturity in the spring (June) and early summer (July). Testicular histological changes during maturation are characterized by the following stages: I) conclusion of spermiogenesis; II) evacuation of spermatodesms from tubular lumens; III) progressive follicular cell atrophy, and IV) complete atrophy and collapse of testicular parenchyma. Tubular changes occur in a basilar to apical direction where segments closer to the vas deferens are histologically more mature than corresponding apical segments. In addition, the rate of testicular maturation was found to change with seasonal progression. This description of physiologic testicular atrophy should be useful for future studies investigating potential pathological effects of stressors on drone testes during sexual maturation.

A postmeiotically bifurcated roadmap of honeybee spermatogenesis marked by phylogenetically restricted genes

“…To examine the fates of different testicular cell types, we collected testes from drones at 14 ± 1d after emergence, an age reaching sexual maturity. Consistent with a previous report [ 59 ], the size of 14d testis was much smaller than that of 3d testis ( Fig 6A ). Besides, while the spermatogonia and spermatocyte cysts were virtually absent in the 14d testis, there remained very few intact seminiferous tubules ( Fig 6B left) and a large number of individualized spermatids were pooled together at the basal side ( Fig 6B right).…”

Variations in Mating and Reproduction in Oriental Fruit Moth Caused by Adult Physiological State in Laboratory Tests

“…For the mated males, age did not affect the testes size. The testes decrease in volume as sperm bundles are transferred from the testes to the duplex where the spermatophore is formed, which is then transferred to the female during copulation [36,37]. For G. molesta, the restoration of sperm content begins within 6 h and is fully restored within 18 h, after which males can mate again [16].…”

“…For the mated males, age did not affect the testes size. The testes decrease in volume as sperm bundles are transferred from the testes to the duplex where the spermatophore is formed, which is then transferred to the female during copulation [ 36 , 37 ]. For G .…”

Diet impacts the reproductive system’s maturation in the male moth Agrotis ipsilon (Noctuidae, Lepidoptera)

“…During the sexual maturation of male moths, the reproductive system is subjected to morphoanatomical and functional modifications (Hiroyoshi et al, 2021;Moors et al, 2009). The testes, which produces the sperm, decrease in volume (Klein et al, 2021) and the sperm bundles are transferred from the testes to the duplex where is formed the spermatophore that is then transferred to the female during copulation (Baker et al, 2003;Fernandez & Cruz-Landim, 2005;Muzzi et al, 2020). Conjointly, the accessory sex glands grow in length (Baker et al, 2003), change color (Fernandez & Cruz-Landim, 2005;Muzzi et al, 2020), and produce proteins (but also carbohydrates and lipids) (Southon et al, 2020) that are necessary for the formation of the spermatophore and also for the sperm survival during their storage within the duplex and their transit in the female genital duct (Fernandez & Cruz-Landim, 2005;Muzzi et al, 2020).…”