Abilities
In order to photo copulatory scratches while the male genital morphology of any types, i accessed male and female genitalia due to dissections. For this purpose, i sampled extra queens (each other virgin and you will physogastric mated of them) and extra newly emerged males of any kinds, after the exact same sampling conditions prior to now discussed (see the past areas). I next dissected for every single specimens’ metasoma to gain access to the vaginal part of women and people. Immediately following dissection, i instantly photographed these types of structures to guarantee the ethics out of membranous architecture, particularly in women. Dissections accompanied the procedure prior to now revealed in the Vaginal useful morphology, hypothesized plugging tips and you will mating positions. In the end, i put a great Leica DM 1000 stereomicroscope, along with an attracting pipe to prepare brand new layouts of your own mating couples (?20 magnification, Genital useful morphology, hypothesized plugging tips and you may mating ranks) as well as the genital practical morphology (?80 magnification, Genital practical morphology, hypothesized plugging actions and you will mating ranking). We vectorized and you can handled such layouts having fun with a photo editor application. We together with utilized a beneficial Leica DFC420 digital camera connected to a Leica M205A stereomicroscope which will make large-solution photos of females and you will males genitalia (?step one.0 lens and you will ?fifty magnification, Part dos.4). Basic, i got multifocus color photographs, following i piled them in a single image utilizing the Leica software room type step 3.cuatro.step 1. We constant this procedure for each genitalia (male and female) out-of all of the tested stingless bee varieties, but one, Meters. melapling restrictions.
Harrowing mating for the stingless bees
Zero melanized spots had been thought in examined unmated virgin queens. In most kinds, physogastric queens displayed melanized patches on the membranous pockets ( Desk 1), except for M. fasciculata ( Figure 1). The fresh membranous pouches was indeed really the only area that have copulatory marks. In for every single mated king, spots was basically usually matched, matching the new inferred status of your collection of penis valves for the the male genital medicine. Patches was indeed situated on for every single wallet, and symmetrically arranged ( Shape step one). Additionally, melanized patches appeared as if permanent, as the we noticed them into the mated queens of various years, according to all of our wing wear class ( Second Profile S3 ).
Female vaginal chamber, pattern regarding copulatory scratching, and ventral look at men vaginal medicine out-of F. longipes, P. minima, Scaptotrigona aff. postica, Melipona flavolineata, Yards. seminigra, and M. fasciculata. Of kept to help you proper, pictures show the new genital chamber regarding virgin queens, the fresh new genital chamber of mated queens, in addition to melanized spots available on queens, which happen to be shown because of the white arrows on 3rd line from photo. Singly mated queens show an individual pair of melanized patches, revealed to possess F. longipes, P. minima, S. aff. postica, Meters. flavolineata, and you can Yards. seminigra; otherwise a lengthy-identity affixed plug, just included in Meters. fasciculata. Remated Yards. seminigra queens, conveyed of the black asterisk, show multiple pairs away from melanized spots and you can main patches. From the right hand band of images, male products are exhibited just like the activated mating plugs simply for Melipona varieties, indicating turned cock regulators. We and additionally reveal a keen inactivated mating connect to possess M. fasciculata, while the expressed of the light asterisk. Black colored pubs show a scale away from 0.5 mm. So it figure has photographs from six away from the 7 analyzed varieties (pick their website Topic and methods).
Females vaginal chamber, development away from copulatory scratching, and you may ventral view of men genital products away from F. longipes, P. minima, Scaptotrigona aff. postica, Melipona flavolineata, M. seminigra, and you may M. fasciculata. Out-of left so you’re able to best, pictures tell you brand new vaginal chamber away from virgin queens, this new genital chamber out-of mated queens, while the melanized patches available on queens, that are expressed by the white arrows on third line off photos. Singly mated queens inform you one collection of melanized spots, found to own F. longipes, P. minima, S. aff. postica, Meters. flavolineata, and you may M. seminigra; otherwise an extended-term connected plug, merely included in M. fasciculata. Remated Meters. seminigra queens, shown because of the black colored asterisk, inform you multiple sets out-of melanized spots and central patches. Throughout the right hand group of photographs, men capsules was displayed because the activated mating plugs only for Melipona types, indicating turned manhood regulators. I including inform you an inactivated mating plug to have M. fasciculata, just like the indicated because of the light asterisk. Black bars show a level regarding 0.5 mm. Which profile has images away from six off our very own seven learned types (look for Topic and methods).