The Functional Morphology of the Bursa Copulatrix of a Butterfly That Does Not Digest Spermatophores (Leptophobia aripa, Pieridae)

Xochipiltecatl, David; Cordero, Carlos; Baixeras, Joaquín

doi:10.3390/insects13080714

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 16 publications

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“…Eventually, the sperm is transported via the ductus seminalis; it is inserted in the same area, but anterior to the valve, supporting this putative function. A valve within the female genital tract has been recently described in Leptophobia aripa (Boisduval, 1836), though its position and hypothetical function are different [ 47 ]. This valve probably regulates the transfer of sperm from the spermatophore and is located anterior to the ductus seminalis, in contrast to the configuration in T. viridana.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First 3-D reconstruction of copulation in Lepidoptera: interaction of genitalia in Tortrix viridana (Tortricidae)

et al. 2023

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Background The process of copulation in Lepidoptera is understudied and poorly understood from a functional perspective. The purpose of the present paper is to study the interaction of the male and female genitalia of Tortrix viridana Linnaeus, 1758 via three-dimensional models of pairs fixed during copulation. Other techniques (confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and histology) were used to clarify the role of the organs involved in the process. Results Three-dimensional models based on micro-CT scanned copulating pairs were generated allowing visualisation of the position of the male and female counterparts, spatial changes during copulation, and the skeleto-muscular apparatus involved in the process. The male genitalia and their musculature are simplified in comparison with other lineages of the family, but the opposite is true for the female genitalia. The attachment of the couple is achieved only through flexion of the valvae, clasping the large and sclerotised sternite 7 of the female. The anal cone and socii of the male are in contact with certain parts of the anal papillae and the sterigma of the female. The long tubular vesica is inserted into the narrow posterior part of the ductus bursae. Its eversion is achieved by an increase in haemolymph pressure. A possible mechanism of stimulation of the female via pulsations of the diverticulum of the vesica was discovered. A compressed sclerotised area of the ductus bursae putatively serves as a valve controlling the transfer of ejaculated materials. Copulation progresses through two phases: in the first the vesica and its diverticulum are inflated by haemolymph, and in the second the diverticulum is not inflated, and the vesica is occupied by viscous ejaculated material. The formation of the multilayered spermatophore was observed, and we discovered that sperm is transferred very late in the copulation process. Conclusions Copulation process in Lepidoptera is studied for the first time with three-dimensional reconstructions of couples of Tortrix viridana, used as a model species. The internal genitalia is the scenario of multiple interactions between male and female, but the external remain static. A possible mechanism of stimulation of the female internal copulation organs is proposed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First 3-D reconstruction of copulation in Lepidoptera: interaction of genitalia in Tortrix viridana (Tortricidae)

et al. 2023

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Morphological changes in female reproductive organs in the African monarch butterfly, host to a male-killing Spiroplasma

Malmberg

Martin²,

Gordon³

et al. 2023

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Background Sexual selection and conflicts within and between sexes promote morphological diversity of reproductive traits within species. Variation in the morphology of diagnostic reproductive characters within species offer an excellent opportunity to study these evolutionary processes as drivers of species diversification. The African monarch, Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758), is widespread across Africa. The species is polytypic, with the respective geographical ranges of the four colour morphs only overlapping in East Africa. Furthermore, some of the populations host an endosymbiotic bacterium, Spiroplasma, which induces son-killing and distorts the local host population sex-ratio, creating sexual conflicts between the females seeking to optimize their fecundity and the limited mating capacity of the rare males. Methods We dissected females from Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa, where Spiroplasma vary in presence and prevalence (high, variable and absent, respectively), and conducted microscopy imaging of their reproductive organs. We then characterized the effect of population, female body size, and female mating status, on the size and shape of different genitalia characters of the D. chrysippus female butterflies. Results We showed that although the general morphology of the organs is conserved in D. chrysippus, female genitalia vary in size and shape between and within populations. The virgin females have smaller organs, while the same organs were expanded in mated females. Females from highly female-biased populations, where the male-killing Spiroplasma is prevalent, also have a larger area of their corpus bursae covered with signa structures. However, this pattern occurs because a larger proportion of the females remains virgin in the female-biased populations rather than because of male depletion due to the symbiont, as males from sex-ratio distorted populations did not produce significantly smaller nutritious spermatophores.

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The Functional Morphology of the Bursa Copulatrix of a Butterfly That Does Not Digest Spermatophores (Leptophobia aripa, Pieridae)

Cited by 2 publications

References 16 publications

First 3-D reconstruction of copulation in Lepidoptera: interaction of genitalia in Tortrix viridana (Tortricidae)

First 3-D reconstruction of copulation in Lepidoptera: interaction of genitalia in Tortrix viridana (Tortricidae)

Morphological changes in female reproductive organs in the African monarch butterfly, host to a male-killing Spiroplasma

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