中国6种雄性圆瓢蜡蝉形态比较(蜡蝉总科,瓢蜡蝉科)

对中国6种圆瓢蜡蝉Gergithus的外部形态及其雄性外生殖器进行了形态比较研究。结果表明:6种雄性圆瓢蜡蝉体色存在差异,雄虫尾节可分为有刺和无刺2种类型;肛节可根据其端缘凹凸情况分为凹入、近平直和凸出3种类型;6种雄性圆瓢蜡蝉阳茎的结构特征差异最为突出,尤其在其端部的结构上,可作为区别种间的最佳分类依据。此外,本文根据不同形态特征给出了这6种圆瓢蜡蝉的分类检索表,并建议将中胸背板长宽比(2∶1)作为圆瓢蜡蝉属的属征之一。     

中国短象蜡蝉属一新种记述(半翅目,蜡蝉总科,象蜡蝉科)

记述采自中国海南、贵州、广东的短象蜡蝉属Dictyopharina Melichar(半翅目,蜡蝉总科,象蜡蝉科,象蜡蝉亚科)1新种,即六突短象蜡蝉D.hexasaca sp.nov.。编制了短象蜡蝉属分种检索表,提供了新种的鉴别特征图。新种模式标本保存于贵州大学昆虫研究所。     

鳖扁蜡蝉和娇弱鳎扁蜡蝉雌性生殖器的描述(半翅目,蜡蝉总科,扁蜡蝉科)

对扁蜡蝉科(半翅目,蜡蝉总科)中鳖扁蜡蝉Cixiopsis punctatus Matsumura和娇弱鳎扁蜡蝉Tambinia debilis St(a)l的雌性生殖器进行了详细描述,绘制特征图并指明各部分的结构名称.结果表明前者生殖管道属于单开口类型,而后者是双开口类型.雌性生殖器特征可为分类学和系统发育分析提供更多的参考信息.     

中国长头象蜡蝉属一新种记述(半翅目:蜡蝉总科:象蜡蝉科)

记述中国长头象蜡蝉属Doryphorina 1新种:多刺突长头象蜡蝉D.multifurcella ZhengChen sp.nov.。该新种与团簇长头象蜡蝉D.conglobatus Zheng,YangChen相似,与后者的区别主要在:新种阳茎基端部具有2对膜质突起,背突起细长,端部和基部具有长刺;后者背突起细长,侧面观具有3长刺在基部。详细描述了新种的外部形态特征,绘制了外生殖器鉴别特征图,并附成虫彩色照片及长头象蜡蝉属Doryphorina检索表。模式标本保存于贵州大学昆虫研究所。     

中国鼻象蜡蝉属一新种记述(半翅目:蜡蝉总科:象蜡蝉科)

记述采自贵州省贵阳森林公园和绥阳县宽阔水的鼻象蜡蝉属Saigona Matsumura 1新种,即囊突鼻象蜡蝉 Saigona saccus sp.nov..新种近似于瘤鼻象蜡蝉Saigona fulgoroides(Walker,1858),主要区别在阳茎基的结构上.前者阳茎基宛如一套子包裹在阳茎外面;后者阳茎基从侧面看,端部背面有一背部延伸的叶状突起,腹面具有小的叶状突起.详细描述了新种的外部形态特征,绘制了雄虫鉴别特征图.模式标本保存在贵州大学昆虫研究所.     

中国蛾蜡蝉科一新记录属并记一新种(半翅目:蛾蜡蝉科:涩蛾蜡蝉族)

报道了中国新记录属长蛾蜡蝉属Gomeda Distant,1906,该属隶属于蛾蜡蝉科Flatidae、涩蛾蜡蝉族Selizini,综述了该属的分类研究历史,并记述1新种——素长蛾蜡蝉Gomeda unicolorata,sp.nov.,提供了新种的形态和雌性外生殖器特征图,编制了本属分种检索表。新种模式标本保存在中国科学院动物研究所。     

四种蜡蝉雌性生殖系统比较研究(半翅目,蜡蝉总科)

描述了缘蛾蜡蝉Salurnis marginella(Guérin-Meneville)、八点广翅蜡蝉Ricania speculum(Walker)、斑衣蜡蝉Lycorma delicatula(White)及中华彩象蜡蝉Raivuna sinica(Walker)等4种蜡蝉的雌性生殖系统,并提供了相应的形态特征图。研究结果表明:4种蜡蝉的雌性内生殖系统均为双孔类型;交配管通过阴道与交配囊相连,不直接与交配囊相连;卵巢管为端滋式;阴道、交配囊和受精囊均为双层膜质结构,而卵巢管、侧输卵管则为单层膜质结构。明确了蜡蝉总科昆虫总输卵管与侧输卵管的连接方式,总输卵管为一端固定于阴道内膜,另一端游离于阴道内膜与外膜之间,朝向侧输卵管合并处的透明膜质管状结构。此外,雌性生殖系统中的交配囊、第1产卵瓣、阴道附腺、内生殖突、内生殖瓣等形态特征差异较大。研究标本保存于西北农林科技大学昆虫博物馆。     

寡室袖蜡蝉属三新种(同翅目:袖蜡蝉科)

记述寡室袖蜡蝉属Vekunta Distant 3新种：狭额寡室袖蜡蝉V.angusta Wu et Liang,sp.,nov.(印度）,异突寡室袖蜡蝉V.asymmetrica Liang et Wu.sp.nov（中国西藏）及三突寡室袖蜡蝉V.triprotrusa Wu et Liang sp.nov.(中国云南）,记述了各新种的形态特征,并绘制了头部与生殖器特征图。     

中国圆顶瓢蜡蝉属回顾及一新种描记（半翅目：蜡蝉总科：瓢蜡蝉科）

对中国圆顶瓢蜡蝉属Thabena Stl,1861进行了分类回顾,共有4种:海南圆顶瓢蜡蝉T.hainanensis(Ran & Liang,2006)(中国海南)、兰坪圆顶瓢蜡蝉T.lanpingensis sp.nov.(中国云南)、黎桃圆顶瓢蜡蝉T.litaoensis(Yang,1994)(中国台湾、海南)和云南圆顶瓢蜡蝉T.yunnanensis(Ran & Liang,2006)(中国云南)。对其中2个种兰坪圆顶瓢蜡蝉T.lanpingensis和黎桃圆顶瓢蜡蝉T.litaoensis进行了描记或重新描记,绘制了特征图。提供了中国圆顶瓢蜡蝉属全部已知种的检索表。     

中国瓢蜡蝉科一新记录属--德里瓢蜡蝉属

报道了瓢蜡蝉科中国1新记录属——德里瓢蜡蝉属Delhina Distant及中国新记录种德里瓢蜡蝉D.eurybrachydoides Distant,绘制了其主要外形特征,首次描记雄性外生殖器特征。     

The role of the androconia in the mating behaviour of the European skipper, Thymelicus lineola, and evidence for a male sex pheromone

Abstract. Laboratory experiments were carried out to determine the role and characteristics of male scent scales (androconia), located in patches (stigmata) on the forewings of Thymelicus lineola (Ochsenheimer) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). In behavioural tests, there were 30—40% fewer matings of virgin females by males with the stigmata removed or where females had their antennal sensilla covered with nail polish, when compared to sham-treated controls. These reductions occurred despite a large increase in male courtship activity. No physical contact was observed between male wings and female antennae during mating. A scanning electron microscope study of male wings and female antennae showed that: (1) lysis zones form over time on the androconia and pieces (osmo-phores) distal to these zones break off; (2) while few of these zones are present at emergence they are numerous in-day-old males; (3) during a single episode of courtship and mating approximately two-thirds of the available osmophores break off, yet the commonly observed courtship between males does not appear to result in osmophore release; and (4) osmophores were never observed on the female antennae. Electroantennogram recordings (EAGs) indicated that: (1) female antennae responded strongly to odours from male forewings but not from other parts of either males or females; (2) female antennae responded more strongly to young field-collected males than to newly-emerged or old, field-collected males; (3) female antennal response to male forewings was reduced if the androconia were scraped off, and was eliminated if the stigmata were removed; (4) male antennae gave weak EAG responses to both male and female forewings. We conclude that males release pheromone via the breakage of osmophores during courtship. We propose that the frequently observed refusals by females of courting males are at least partially dependent on the quantity or quality of male pheromone released, which are in turn correlated with the male's age and mating status.     

Juvenile infection and male display: testing the bright male hypothesis across individual life histories

Current tests of the bright male hypothesis focus on assaysof adult disease resistance and their relation to male traitdevelopment and female choice. We suggest that if parasiteshave significant harmful effects on juvenile stages of a host,then females selecting males that effectively signal juvenileparasite resistance may gain a significant "good genes" benefit.Currently, there is no information on juvenile and adult infectionor resistance in the same male and whether adult male displayssignal juvenile parasite resistance. In the present study, wemeasure infection of the ectoparasitic louse, Myrsidea ptilonorhynchi,in individual male satin bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)both as juveniles and nine or more years later as adults. Wetest hypotheses that examine the role of juvenile parasite infectionin mediating sexual selection. We found that (1) juvenile infectionis higher than adult infection in the same individuals, (2)adult males able to hold display sites have lower juvenile infection,and (3) juvenile and adult infection in the same individualsare not significantly correlated. In addition, comparisons amonga larger set of individuals from a single year show that bloodand ectoparasite infections are highly correlated, and bothdecrease with male age and are inversely related to male courtshipsuccess. These results, combined with the evidence that femalesmate exclusively with bower-holding males support the hypothesisthat females use adult male display traits to identify maleswith a high level of juvenile disease resistance. We suggestthat effective tests of the bright male hypothesis should include(1) assessment of infection resistance in both subadult andadult life history stages, (2) tests of whether differencesin age-specific resistance are indicated in adult male displays,and (3) tests to determine if females attend to these traitsin mate choice. Although these requirements increase the difficultyof testing the bright male hypothesis, they are necessary fora more accurate assessment of the effects of parasites on maledisplay and female choice.     

Difference in skeletal muscle function in males vs. females: role of estrogen receptor-beta

Male skeletal muscles are generally faster and have higher maximum power output than female muscles. Conversely, during repeated contractions, female muscles are generally more fatigue resistant and recover faster. We studied the role of estrogen receptor-beta (ERbeta) in this gender difference by comparing contractile function of soleus (mainly slow-twitch) and extensor digitorum longus (fast-twitch) muscles isolated from ERbeta-deficient (ERbeta(-/-)) and wild-type mice of both sexes. Results showed generally shorter contraction and relaxation times in male compared with female muscles, and ERbeta deficiency had no effect on this. Fatigue (induced by repeated tetanic contractions) and recovery of female muscles were not affected by ERbeta deficiency. However, male ERbeta(-/-) muscles were slightly more fatigue resistant and produced higher forces during the recovery period than wild-type male muscles. In fact, female muscles and male ERbeta(-/-) muscles displayed markedly better recovery than male wild-type muscles. Gene screening of male soleus muscles showed 25 genes that were differently expressed in ERbeta(-/-) and wild-type mice. Five of these genes were selected for further analysis: muscle ankyrin repeat protein-2, muscle LIM protein, calsequestrin, parvalbumin, and aquaporin-1. Expression of these genes showed a similar general pattern: increased expression in male and decreased expression in female ERbeta(-/-) muscles. In conclusion, ERbeta deficiency results in increased performance during fatigue and recovery of male muscles, whereas female muscles are not affected. Improved contractile performance of male ERbeta(-/-) mouse muscles was associated with increased expression of mRNAs encoding important muscle proteins.     

Neural circuitry that governs Drosophila male courtship behavior

Male-specific fruitless (fru) products (Fru(M)) are both necessary and sufficient to "hardwire" the potential for male courtship behavior into the Drosophila nervous system. Fru(M) is expressed in approximately 2% of neurons in the male nervous system, but not in the female. We have targeted the insertion of GAL4 into the fru locus, allowing us to visualize and manipulate the Fru(M)-expressing neurons in the male as well as their counterparts in the female. We present evidence that these neurons are directly and specifically involved in male courtship behavior and that at least some of them are interconnected in a circuit. This circuit includes olfactory neurons required for the behavioral response to sex pheromones. Anatomical differences in this circuit that might account for the dramatic differences in male and female sexual behavior are not apparent.     

The sterile male technique: Irradiation negatively affects male fertility but not male courtship

The sterile male technique is a common method to assign paternity, widely adopted due to its relative simplicity and low cost. Male sterility is induced by exposure to sub lethal doses of chemosterilants or irradiation, the dosage of which has to be calibrated for every species to provide successful male sterilisation, without affecting male physiology and behaviour. While the physiological effects of sterilisation are usually assessed for each study, the behavioural ones are rarely analysed in detail. Using the orb web spider Argiope keyserlingi as a model we first tested (1) the validity of the thread assay, which simulates male courtship behaviour in a standardised context, as a proxy representing courtship on a female web. We then investigated (2) the effectiveness of male sterilisation via irradiation and (3) its consequences on male courtship behaviour. Our results validate the thread assay and the sterile male technique as legitimate tools for the study of male courtship behaviour and fertilisation success. We show that these techniques are time and cost effective and reduce undesirable variation, thereby creating opportunities to study and understand the mechanisms underlying sexual selection.     

Karyological notes on six beetle species from Armenia (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae,Cerambycidae, Curculionidae)

Karyotypic details were studied in males of six beetle species from three families, viz. Tenebrionidae: Dailognatha pumila Bdy. (2n = 20, n(male) = 9 + Xy(p)), Pachyscelis musiva Ménétr. (2n = 18, n(male) = 8 + Xy(p)), Pimelia capito Kryn. (2n = 18, n(male) = 8 + Xy(p)); Cerambycidae: Agapanthia walteri Reitt. (2n = 20, n(male) = 9+Xy(p)), Agapanthia korostelevi Danilevsky (2n = 20, n(male) = 9 + Xy(p)); Curculionidae: Phyllobius caucasicus Stierl. (2n = 22, n(male) = 10 + Xy(p)). The chromosome number and sex determining system of all beetle species are described for the first time. Evolutionary trends in karyotypes of the studied beetle groups are briefly discussed.     

The function of male aggressive displays towards females in mountain gorillas

In groups ofGorilla g. beringei, male aggression towards females regularly takes the form of male display. This paper examines male display towards females in two Karisoke study groups (Group 5 and Group BM) in 1989, a period when none of the females were new immigrants. Results are based on 259 hr of focal observations and 121 hr ofad libitum observations on male behaviors towards females. The goal is to see if the data are compatible with four non-mutually exclusive hypotheses to explain male displays towards females: (1) demonstration of male fighting abilities to influence female long term residence decision; (2) decrease potential competitive inequities between females; (3) provision to females of an occasion to confirm their subordinance to a male; and (4) short term influence on mating. First, male-female proximity was tested against proportion of male displays, to rule out the possibility that males display towards females simply because they happen to be close by. There was no association between proximity and male display. Dominant males were responsible for a higher proportion of displays than subordinate males. This is consistent with the idea that males display to demonstrate their fighting abilities, or their qualities as protector, since dominant males are the ones offering long term protection against infanticide and predators. Females that were in a position to transfer did not receive a higher proportion of male display, however. Long term resident dominant females received a higher proportion of displays from the dominant males, which is consistent with the idea that males attempt to decrease potential competitive inequities between females. There was an association between female appeasement reactions and male displays, which suggests that males display to create occasions for the females to confirm their subordinance to them. Estrous females did not receive a higher proportion of male displays, and there was no association between male display and copulation, suggesting that male displays are not a form of courtship aggression aimed at influencing mating in the short term.     

Male House Finches with Elaborate Songs have Higher Reproductive Performance

The elaborate songs of male animals are thought to function in either territory defense (male–male communication) or mate attraction (male–female communication). In non‐territorial animals, male vocalizations are expected to function primarily in mate attraction, yet the reproductive consequences of male vocalizations in non‐territorial animals are poorly described. Here we explore the relationship between male song and male reproductive performance in a free‐living population of house finches, Carpodacus mexicanus, a non‐migratory, non‐territorial songbird. Based on recordings of 20 males, we analyzed three song features (song length, number of unique syllables per song, and song rate) and compared male song with two measures of within‐pair reproductive performance (nest initiation date and clutch size) and one measure of extra‐pair reproductive performance (whether males sired extra‐pair young). We demonstrate a positive association between male song and within‐pair reproductive performance; males that sang long songs initiated their first clutch significantly earlier and males that sang songs at a faster rate had larger clutches. Despite the fact that only one of our recorded males sired extra‐pair young in the nest of another male, this male's songs were the most elaborate for two of three song features measured, anecdotally suggesting that male song may play a role in both within‐pair and extra‐pair partner choice. These results suggest that male song is a sexually selected trait in non‐territorial house finches.     

Specific criteria in Grania (Oligochaeta,Enchytraeidae)

The structure of the penial bulb and male efferent duct system of Grania species may be used in addition to setal pattern and spermathecal shape to distinguish species. Six penial bulb types are distinguished: (1) a simple, small, glandular bulb surrounding the male pore; (2) a small, glandular bulb, with a large, associated, dorso-medial gland mass; (3) a small glandular bulb, medial to the male pore, with an elongate male bursa (the aglandular sac), the vas deferens exitting directly into the invaginated male pore; (4) a glandular bulb with an aglandular sac and a small, cuticular stylet embedded in the bulb, extending from the ectal end of the vas deferens; (5) a glandular bulb and an aglandular sac with a long stylet extending from the vas deferens, through the bulb into the sac; and (6) glandular bulb reduced or absent, with or without an aglandular sac; with a long stylet and other prominent modifications, usually muscular, of the vas deferens. The details of the male duct structure were consistent within specimens grouped on the basis of setal distribution and shape and detailed spermathecal structure. Diverse male duct patterns are found within the polytypic species G. macrochaeta and G. postclitellochaeta. The positions of the spermathecal and male pores in their respective segments are distinctive for some species.     

Male infertility, female fertility and extrapair copulations

Females that are socially bonded to a single male, either in a social monogamy or in a social polygyny, are often sexually polyandrous. Extrapair copulations (EPC) have often been suggested or rejected, on both empirical and theoretical grounds, as an important mechanism that enables females to avoid fertility risks in case their socially bonded male is infertile. Here, we explore this possibility in two steps. First, we present a mathematical model that assumes that females have no precopulatory information about male fertility, and shows that a female EPC strategy increases female reproductive success only if certain specific conditions are upheld in the nature of male infertility. In particular, these conditions require both (i) that fertile sperm precedence (FSP) is absent or incomplete within ejaculates of the same male (i.e. that an infertile male is, at least partly, truly infertile), and (ii) the existence of FSP among ejaculates of different males (such that infertile spermatozoa of the infertile male are at a disadvantage when competing against spermatozoa of a fertile male). Second, to evaluate their potential role in the evolution of female EPC, we review the abundance and FSP patterns of the different male infertility types. The conclusion is drawn that some common infertility types, such as poor sperm count or motility, contribute to the evolution of female EPC, whereas other common infertility types, such as sperm depletion or allocation in a social monogamy (but not in a social polygyny), and in particular male driven polyspermy, do not. Also, a deeper look at the arms race between sperm fertilization efficiency and female barriers to sperm may answer the non‐trivial question: “why are some types of infertility so common?”