Lady genitalia from Yards. fasciculata and you can measures having mating plug coupling. (A) Virgin lady genitalia within the front see. (B) Male genitalia of pre-copula men, addressing the female genitalia. (C–E) Vaginal capsule, metasomal sterna S-VIII and you can S-IX. (F) Male genitalia creating this new coupling of your own connect: ventral view of genital product and you will metasomal sternum S-IX projecting out of the system of your men because of the a good telescopic direction. (G) Male vaginal medicine detached regarding male’s system, having penis regulators caused, gonostyli up against the exact opposite status regarding the initial. (H) Metasomal sterna S-VIII and you can S-IX, in which sternum S-IX assumes on their totally new status for the male’s abdomen. (I) Mating plug in more detail, proving new lateral compression away from gonocoxites. (J) The latest vaginal chamber away from good plugged women: the fresh new membranous area with the brand new mating plug connected.
About low-Melipona species (F
longipes, S. aff. Postica, and you may P. minima), we noticed sturdy knob regulators which have mediator curvature and a reduced spatha ( Profile 1)paring the overall morphology regarding dick valves and you can spatha away from M. fasciculata to the other examined varieties, i discovered that both Yards. flavolineata and you will Meters. seminigra possess thin dick valves that have reduced curvature. However, M. seminigra has faster valves than just Meters. flavolineata, and you may a well-established spatha when compared to one other Melipona ( Figure step one).
Dysfunction off hypothesized plugging procedures
The final status out of mating plugs into the mated females matched up the 
latest position of male’s abdomen while in the copulation because of “J” path and placement significantly less than woman’s instinct ( Figure 4C). Throughout physogastric queens out of M. fasciculata, i observed the latest mating connect attached to the membranous vaginal pockets by the manhood valves, to the spatha skin mainly based for the the feminine ventral bit, placed under the gonopore ( Contour 3J). We suggest that the fresh mating connect system is actually triggered if men vaginal capsule is irreversibly protruded regarding male’s human body, which results in modified ranks of the gonostyli, dick valves, and you can gonocoxites.
The mating collection of Meters. fasciculata, based on a video clip listing out of mating out of a related variety. All the way through: (A) men in-flight, seeking to standing in itself along the ladies; (B) organized male, exhibiting sets out-of ft installing across the female’s muscles; (C) male raising the abdomen of the girls; (D) men making the female after profitable mating, that is, the mating plug connection. Throughout bits, men wings is illustrated so you can represent their direction through the mating, predicated on Secondary Movies S1 .
The newest mating collection of Yards. fasciculata, centered on videos number away from mating off an associated species. Throughout: (A) male in flight, seeking to standing in itself along side girls; (B) positioned men, appearing sets regarding base installing across the female’s looks; (C) men improving the instinct of the females; (D) men making the female after effective mating, that’s, the newest mating plug accessory. In every bits, male wings was represented so you’re able to represent their way throughout mating, according to Second Clips S1 .
Based on the analysis between sleep county out-of genital products and you will triggered condition out-of mating plugs, their useful morphology, along with clips information to your mating choices of a closely related kinds ( Second Video S1 ), we advise that causing from mating connect takes place in 5 hypothetical actions ( Data step three and you will cuatro):
Shortly after immobilizing the female human body, the male inserts his metasomal sternum S-VIII underneath the ladies tergum T-VI, training they ( Contour 4C).
While the females genital chamber are opened ( Figure 3A), a man gonostyli meets new woman’s vaginal area. Immediately following placement the new sternum S-VIII, a man metasomal sternum S-IX protrudes out from the male’s human anatomy toward the brand new woman’s genital chamber as well as the vaginal capsule, of the a beneficial telescopic direction ( Shape 3F). The new installation out of men genital supplement with the ladies genital chamber isn’t accompanied by the fresh gonostyli, and this flow backward in processes, leftover away from ladies genital chamber ( Figure 3G).