Mating termination in the male cricket.
The study indicates that the male cricket Gryllus bimaculatus extrudes the spermatophore in response to mechanical stimulation of specialized sensilla in the cavity enclosed by the epiphallus and terminates mating as revealed by spermatophore protrusion. The spermatophore extrusion, however, needs an increase in body tonus during cavity hair stimulation which is produced by male's copulatory actions in response to key stimuli on the dorsum, epiproct and cerci. At the same time, male's sexual excitation raised by courtship facilitates spermatophore extrusion. This is the first demonstration that mating can be artificially switched off in male insects.
Sakai
M
M
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University, Japan.
Taoda
Y
Y
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D006135:Gryllidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology