罗氏沼虾繁殖行为的再描述

2007年6～9月对采自孟加拉国库尔纳专区羌纳县布苏尔河原产地罗氏沼虾(Macrobrachium rosenbergii)的繁殖行为进行了观察研究。配合摄像机录像技术,重点观察并记录了野生罗氏沼虾生殖过程中的主要行为特征。本文所涉及的繁殖过程特指在人工操控条件下,自两性遭遇、识别至雌虾抱卵为止这段时间。选择体重在80.0g以上的雄虾、40.0g以上的雌虾分别在当地河堤外侧的池沼中驯化适应15d,然后,在室内水泥池中观察其繁殖行为。罗氏沼虾在繁殖过程中呈现的典型行为主要有:两性遭遇及识别,雄虾的占位,雌虾的蜕壳,雄虾俘获雌虾及其交媾前的守卫、交媾及精荚传递,雄虾交媾后的守卫及释放雌虾,雌虾产卵及抱卵。其中,雄虾的配偶守卫行为是有效地保证两性生殖成功的交配策略之一。     

日本沼虾行为研究

本文描述了日本沼虾摄食、领域、防御与攻击、清洁及交配行为,并与其它沼虾类、对虾类、虾蛄类等甲壳动物行为进行了比较研究。日本沼虾在水温１０℃以上摄食行为活跃,其领域行为明显,防御与攻击行为主要用第２步足。雌虾交配前可能分泌性外激素,雄虾用小触角接收这种激素,从而表现出交配行为。雌虾交配前要进行生殖蜕皮。其交配行为包括试探、守卫、攀爬、拥抱、交配及后守卫等６个连续阶段,在交配阶段排放精荚,持续时间仅２－３ｓ。     

一种简便的适合抱卵孵化甲壳动物的转基因方法

动物转基因的方法有很多,但对于许多抱卵孵化的甲壳动物,许多已有的转基因方法不可行或不易操作。在对罗氏沼虾(Macrobrachium rosenbergii)的基因改良过程中,通过精荚微注射(spermatophore-microinjection, SMI),将目的基因直接注射到交配后的雌虾胸部腹面的精荚中,再由精子介导的简便高效的转基因技术,成功地将抗冻蛋白基因导入到罗氏沼虾的胚胎中,获得了16%以上的基因转移率。这一方法的建立,为进一步开展抱卵孵化的甲壳动物的分子遗传和发育生物学的研究以及育种工作的研究奠定了基础。     

两种方式对红螯螯虾同步产卵影响的研究

对红螯螯虾采取雌雄分养和烫伤雌虾单侧眼柄两种方法进行处理,研究其对红螯螯虾卵巢发育和产卵率的影响,进而判断对同步产卵的影响。结果显示,雌雄分开放养对雌虾性腺发育有促进作用,其性腺指数显著高于幼虾刚离体的雌虾和试验结束时未产卵的雌虾,而肝胰腺指数低于试验初的雌虾,但14 d的单放时间偏长;单养14 d组和烫伤单侧眼柄组的产卵率分别为35%和50%,小于对照组(75%);雌虾交配前不需要蜕壳;幼虾离体的雌虾不再次交配也可以产卵,但不一定能孵出苗。研究表明,雌雄分养和烫伤雌虾单侧眼柄对于刚理出的产空雌虾的同步产卵促进作用不明显,生产上对于幼虾离体后的雌虾应立即雌雄配组。     

罗氏沼虾蜕皮激素受体EcR基因的克隆及表达分析

为获得罗氏沼虾蜕皮激素受体(ecdysone receptor, EcR)基因编码序列,并检测mRNA表达模式。本实验拟利用克隆测序技术,以肝胰腺为实验素材,扩增EcR基因的编码区;借助生物信息学手段对所得序列进行分析;采用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测EcR基因在肌肉和肝胰腺等8个组织中的m RNA表达量。结果表明,罗氏沼虾EcR基因的编码区长度为1 716 bp,共编码571个氨基酸。物种间同源性比较分析发现,罗氏沼虾EcR基因序列与褐虾、黑背陆地蟹、日本沼虾、美洲龙螯虾、大西洋砂招潮蟹、蓝蟹、三疣梭子蟹、中华绒螯蟹和拟穴青蟹的同源性分别为90.7%、84.1%、83%、81%、81%、80.6%、79.8%、77.2%和75.9%。组织表达谱结果显示,EcR基因在所检8种组织中广泛表达,且不同性别相同组织间和相同性别不同组织间EcR的表达均存在不同程度的差异性。其中EcR基因在雄虾的鳃组织中表达量最高,在肌肉组织表达量最低;在雌虾的卵巢组织中高表达,在腹节神经组织中低表达。此外,EcR基因在雌虾的性腺、肠和肝胰腺组织中的表达量极显著或显著高于雄虾(p0.01或p0.05),在鳃组织中极显著低于雄虾(p0.01)。本研究成功克隆了罗氏沼虾的EcR基因,检测到EcR基因在各组织中广泛表达,且在不同性别相同组织和相同性别不同组织中存在显著差异。本实验为进一步研究EcR基因与生长发育调控作用提供了理论依据。     

日本沼虾输精管的结构及其在精荚形成中作用的研究

应用光镜和透射电镜技术研究了日本沼虾输精管的结构及其在精荚形成中的作用。结果表明,日本沼虾输精管从形态结构上可分为近端输精管、卷曲输精管、远端输精管和膨大的远端输精管四部分。各部分的管壁皆由分泌上皮、基膜、肌肉层和结缔组织构成,其中分泌上皮包括高度明显不同的低柱状上皮和高拄状上皮两部分。输精管各部分管腔内含有处于不同形成阶段的精荚。进入近端输精管内的精子被支撑在一种嗜酸性基质中。近端输精管的分泌物主要帮助形成精子团,同时形成精荚壁的极小部分。卷曲和远端输精管分泌形成精荚壁的绝大部分,其分泌物由细胞顶端通过外排作用和顶泌机制分泌产生。膨大的远端输精管具有贮存精荚的作用,其分泌上皮也通过外排作用和顶泌机制产生分泌物包裹在已基本形成的精荚外侧,管壁肌肉层在雌雄交配时将管腔内的精荚切割成适宜长度并排出体外。       

三丁基锡(TBT)对罗氏沼虾的毒性效应

将罗氏沼虾(Macrobrachium rosenbergii)幼虾和成虾暴露在不同浓度的三丁基锡(tributyhin,TBT)溶液中,进行急性和慢性毒性实验,通过组织病理学观察研究TBT对罗氏沼虾的毒性效应。结果表明:TBT对罗氏沼虾幼虾和成虾的96h半致死浓度(96h LC50)分别为51和376μg.L-1,安全浓度(SC)分别为5.1和37.6μg.L-1;罗氏沼虾幼虾暴露在浓度分别为1.25、2.5和5μg.L-1的TBT溶液中30d后,其体重和体长均极显著低于对照组(P<0.05);罗氏沼虾成虾暴露在浓度分别为2、8和32μg.L-1的TBT溶液中30d后,生长速度虽未见明显差异,但鳃和肝胰脏组织结构均出现异常;TBT浓度高于8μg.L-1时,处理组鳃上皮细胞肿胀,支持细胞中的细胞核萎缩,鳃血窦中血细胞聚集,肝胰脏细胞肿大,出现空泡化,细胞中出现细小颗粒;TBT浓度达32μg.L-1时,罗氏沼虾肝胰脏细胞空泡化程度严重,细胞核消失,部分细胞解体并出现坏死区;表明一定剂量的TBT对罗氏沼虾的鳃和肝胰脏有明显的毒性效应。     

日本沼虾三群体线粒体16S rRNA基因片段序列的差异与系统进化

通过对日本沼虾(Macrobrachium nipponense)3个群体线粒体DNA 16S rRNA基因片段进行扩增和测定,得到长度为495bp的片段,其碱基A、T、G和C的平均含量分别为28.6%、36.1%、22.7%和12.5%,AT含量明显高于GC含量。通过对日本沼虾16SrRNA基因片段遗传特征的研究发现其种内变异很小,在3个群体中只有5个位点发生转换。另外,利用其454bp的同源序列,以中国明对虾(Fenneropenaeus chinensis)为外群探讨了沼虾属日本沼虾、罗氏沼虾(M.rosenbergii)等8种沼虾的系统进化关系。用MEGA3.1软件中的NJ法构建的分子进化树,日本沼虾3个群体先聚在一起后与海南沼虾聚在一起;另外,罗氏沼虾与马氏沼虾、短腕沼虾与贪食沼虾亲缘关系较近先聚在一起,然后再与大臂沼虾和等齿沼虾聚在一起,最后才与外群中国明对虾聚在一起。     

雌雄罗氏沼虾应对低氧胁迫的行为生理响应

为查明雌雄罗氏沼虾应对低氧胁迫的行为生理响应,设置6.46(对照)、4.48和3.27 mg·L^-13种溶解氧水平,研究了雌、雄个体在胁迫6 d后肝胰脏和肌肉能量代谢酶活性及游泳和弹跳速度。结果表明: 溶解氧从6.46 mg·L^-1降至4.48 mg·L^-1,雌雄个体肌肉有氧代谢酶活性及游泳速度均显著下降,且雄性下降幅度小于雌性,厌氧代谢酶活性并无显著变化;溶解氧继续降至3.27 mg·L^-1,雌雄个体肌肉有氧代谢酶和厌氧代谢酶活性均显著下降,肝胰脏厌氧代谢酶中的乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)活性及弹跳速度显著下降,且雌性肝胰脏LDH活性下降幅度小于雄性。雌雄罗氏沼虾游泳速度与游泳足肌肉有氧代谢酶活性呈显著正相关,弹跳速度则与腹部肌肉厌氧代谢酶活性呈显著正相关。表明罗氏沼虾可以通过降低能量代谢水平应对低氧胁迫,但这种生理调节会导致运动能力下降,雄性优先将能量分配于肌肉以满足运动,雌性则优先保障肝胰脏能量供应。     

水稻二化螟的交配行为

在室内条件下,对水稻二化螟Chilo suppressalis的交配行为及能力进行了研究.结果表明：大多数二化螟雌蛾一生只交配一次,平均0.92次;而雄蛾具有多次交配能力,最多达4次,平均2.72次.二化螟雌蛾的日龄影响其交配率、交配起始时间和持续时间,随二化螟雌蛾日龄的增加,其交配率逐渐下降,交配起始时间逐渐提前,而交配持续时间逐渐上升.相反,二化螟雄蛾日龄对其交配率、交配起始时间和持续时间没有明显影响.交配日龄对二化螟雌蛾的生殖力也存在显著影响,随着二化螟雌蛾交配日龄的增加,雌蛾产卵量下降,卵孵化率降低,产卵期缩短,它们都与雌蛾交配日龄存在显著的负相关;而雌蛾产卵前期和雌蛾寿命随雌蛾交配日龄的增加而延长,与雌蛾交配日龄存在显著的正相关.但二化螟雄蛾交配日龄对雌蛾的生殖力没有明显影响,二化螟雄蛾一生都具有较强的交配繁殖能力.同时,不同交配史的雄蛾与雌蛾交配,对雌蛾的生殖力也没有显著影响.表明二化螟的交配活动是由雌蛾主导控制的.最后,对这些结果在二化螟性信息素防治中应用的可行性进行了探讨.在应用性信息素控制二化螟的实践中,可以在两方面取得实效,一是性信息素可以阻碍雌雄之间正常交配,降低交配率;二是可以推迟二化螟雌虫的交配,使其产卵量和卵孵化率降低.     

Spermatophore feeding and mating behaviour in praying mantids (Mantodea: Liturgusidae)

In a number of insects, males transfer sperm to females via an externally attached spermatophore, which females subsequently remove and consume. Here I report the first study of spermatophore feeding in a praying mantid. While studies of praying mantid mating behaviour have largely focused on sexual cannibalism, this behaviour is not known in the genus Ciulfina . The general patterns of mating behaviour and spermatophore feeding are described for four species: Ciulfina rentzi , Ciulfina klassi , Ciulfina biseriata and Ciulfina baldersoni . Copulation duration and postcopulatory spermatophore attachment duration were found to vary both inter- and intraspecifically. Ciulfina rentzi exhibited a considerably longer mean copulation duration and a considerably shorter mean postcopulatory spermatophore attachment duration than the other Ciulfina species. Smaller males copulated for longer durations in C. rentzi and C. klassi . For C. baldersoni , both copulation duration and postcopulatory spermatophore attachment duration increased with female mass. The genus Ciulfina is highlighted as an intriguing new system in which to test hypotheses surrounding the function of spermatophore feeding and the significance of copulation duration.     

Mating effort function of the spermatophore in the bushcricket Poecilimon veluchianus (Orthoptera, Phanero[pteridae): support from a comparison of the mating behaviour of two subspecies.

To analyse spcrmatophore function, various aspects of the mating behaviour (e.g. spermatophore mass, duration of sperm transfer, mating frequency) were compared in two subspecies of the bushcricket P. veluchianus. Body mass was significantly different in both subspecies and had a strong effect on spermatophore mass, resulting in a large difference in absolute and relative (percentage of male body mass) spermatophore mass in both subspecies. After copulation the small P. v. minor spermatophores were consumed much faster by the female than the larger ones of P. v. veluchianus. The time necessary for sperm transfer from the spermatophore to the female spermatheca was much shorter in the subspecies with small spermatophores than in that with large spermatophores, and in both subspecies similar to the time required to consume the spermatophores. Mating frequency varied also between the subspecies and was murh higher in P. v. minor than in P. v. veluchianus. Differences in body mass between the two subspecies therefore resulted in changes in several aspects of mating behaviour. However, despite large differences in the mass of the spermatophore, its main function seems to be to ensure sperm transfer. This can be concluded from the similarity between the duration of sperm transfer and the time period necessary for spermatophore consumption in each of the subspecies. The spermatophore is thus considered to be male mating effort.     

Rapid diversification of male genitalia and mating strategies in Ohomopterus ground beetles

We analysed evolutionary diversification and covariation in male genitalia and four mating traits related to sexual selection, i.e. testis size, spermatophore size, copulation duration and post-copulatory guarding duration, in Ohomopterus ground beetles using phylogenetically independent contrasts. Male genital size and mating duration have evolved more rapidly than body size and the other traits studied. Male genital size was negatively correlated with copulation duration, suggesting that elongated male genitalia may enable decreased time investment in a single copulation because it is more effective at facilitating spermatophore deposition. Male genital size was positively correlated with spermatophore size, suggesting coevolution between offensive and defensive male mating tactics because the elongated male genitalia may be advantageous in displacement of rivals' plug-like spermatophores, and decreased mating duration may intensify sperm competition. Thus, the remarkable diversity of male genitalia in Ohomopterus may have been facilitated by the interplay between inter- and intrasexual selection processes.     

Impact of male condition on his spermatophore and consequences for female reproductive performance in the Glanville fritillary butterfly

In butterflies, male reproductive success is highly related to the quality and the size of the spermatophore transferred to the female. The spermatophore is a capsule produced by the male during copulation, which in many species contains sperm in addition to a nuptial gift, and which is digested by the female after copulation. The nuptial gift may contribute to egg production and offspring quality, and in some cases also to female body maintenance. The production of the spermatophore, however, represents a cost for the male and, in polyandrous species, ejaculates are sometimes allocated adaptively across matings. Nonetheless, although the ecological factors affecting the reproductive success of female butterflies have been the topic of numerous studies, little information exists on the factors affecting males’ contribution to reproduction, and the indirect impacts on female fecundity and fitness. We used the Glanville fritillary butterfly, Melitaea cinxia (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nymphalidae), in order to assess variation in male allocation to matings. In this species, smaller males produce smaller spermatophores, but variation in spermatophore size is not correlated with female reproductive success. We show that spermatophore size increases with male age at first mating, decreases with mating frequency and adult food‐deprivation, and is not influenced by developmental food‐limitation. The length of copulation period does not influence the spermatophore size nor influences the polyandrous mating behavior in this species. Male contribution to his spermatophore size is clearly influenced by his condition and adult‐resource at the time of mating. Despite this variation, spermatophore size does not seem to have a direct impact on female reproductive output or mating behavior.     

Male Gryllus bimaculatus Guard Females to Delay Them from Mating with Rival Males and to Obtain Repeated Copulations

Three hypotheses for the function of postcopulatory mate guarding were tested in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer. The duration of spermatophore attachment was greater in the absence than in the presence of a guarding male. The ejaculate protection hypothesis was, therefore, rejected. The duration of mate guarding was found to be equal to the interval between copulations, supporting the spermatophore renewal hypothesis. In support of the rival exclusion hypothesis, the presence of a guarding male did increase the duration of spermatophore attachment when a rival male was also present. The presence of a guarding male also delayed the female from mating with the rival male. Female mating status had a significant effect on the duration of spermatophore attachment. Females mating for the first time retained the spermatophore for a significantly longer period of time than females that had mated previously.     

Impact of cryptic female choice on insemination success: Larger sized and longer copulating male squid ejaculate more,but females influence insemination success by removing spermatangia

In polyandrous mating systems, sperm competition and cryptic female choice (CFC) are well recognized as postcopulatory evolutionary forces. However, it remains challenging to separate CFC from sperm competition and to estimate how much CFC influences insemination success because those processes usually occur inside the female's body. The Japanese pygmy squid, Idiosepius paradoxus, is an ideal species in which to separate CFC from sperm competition because sperm transfer by the male and sperm displacement by the female can be observed directly at an external location on the female's body. Here, we counted the number of spermatangia transferred to, removed from, and remaining on the female body during single copulation episodes. We measured behavioral and morphological characteristics of the male, such as duration of copulation and body size. Although males with larger body size and longer copulation time were capable of transferring larger amounts of sperm, females preferentially eliminated sperm from males with larger body size and shorter copulation time by spermatangia removal; thus, CFC could attenuate sperm precedence by larger males, whereas it reinforces sperm precedence by males with longer copulation time. Genetic paternity analysis revealed that fertilisation success for each male was correlated with remaining sperm volume that is adjusted by females after copulation.     

Increased copulation duration before ejaculate transfer is associated with larger spermatophores, and male genital titillators, across bushcricket taxa

Copulation duration varies considerably across species, but few comparative studies have examined factors that might underlie such variation. We examined the relationship between copulation duration (prior to spermatophore transfer), the complexity of titillators (sclerotized male genital contact structures), spermatophore mass and male body mass across 54 species of bushcricket. Using phylogenetic comparative analyses, we found that copulation duration was much longer in species with titillators than those without, but it was not longer in species with complex compared with simple titillators. A positive relationship was found between spermatophore size and copulation duration prior to ejaculate transfer, which supports the hypothesis that this represents a period of mate assessment. The slope of this relationship was steeper in species with simple rather than complex titillators. Although the data suggest that the presence of titillators is necessary to maintain long copulation prior to ejaculate transfer, mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear.     

Determinants of paternity in a butterfly

Success in sperm competition is of fundamental importance to males, yet little is known about what factors determine paternity. Theory predicts that males producing high sperm numbers have an advantage in sperm competition. Large spermatophore size (the sperm containing package) also correlates with paternity in some species, but the relative importance of spermatophore size and sperm numbers has remained unexplored. Males of the small white butterfly, Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), produce large nutritious spermatophores on their first mating. On their second mating, spermatophores are only about half the size of the first, but with almost twice the sperm number. We manipulated male mating history to examine the effect of spermatophore size and sperm numbers on male fertilization success. Overall, paternity shows either first male or, more frequently, second male sperm precedence. Previously mated males have significantly higher fertilization success in competition with males mating for the first time, strongly suggesting that high sperm number is advantageous in sperm competition. Male size also affects paternity with relatively larger males having higher fertilization success. This may indicate that spermatophore size influences paternity, because in virgin males spermatophore size correlates with male size. The paternity of an individual male is also inversely correlated with the mass of his spermatophore remains dissected out of the female. This suggests that females may influence paternity by affecting the rate of spermatophore drainage. Although the possibility of female postcopulatory choice remains to be explored, these results clearly show that males maximize their fertilization success by increasing the number of sperm in their second mating.     

Operational Sex Ratio and Alternative Reproductive Behaviours in Chinese Bushcricket, Gampsocleis gratiosa

The effects of operational sex ratio (OSR) on male mating tactics in the Chinese bushcricket Gampsocleis gratiosa were investigated in male‐ and female‐biased environments. We measured fresh and dry spermatophore contents and copulation duration, and counted sperm numbers of each copulation. The fresh weight of spermatophore and spermatophylax was positively correlated with male body weight. The males in a strongly male‐biased environment produced significantly heavier fresh ampulla and more sperm per ejaculation, which were likely tactics for successful matings under the competition of rivals. The spermatophore might function as a structure to protect the fertilization potential of the ejaculate from rival males.