Studies on mating plug of two sandfly species, Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae).
A study was undertaken to interpret the nature and function of the "plug like formation" observed inside the spermathecae of many phlebotomine sandflies dissected during field surveys. Trials were carried out on two laboratory reared species, Phlebotomus perniciosus and P. papatasi. The results showed that the "plug like formation" is a true mating plug (MP) containing immotile sperms. Our studies showed also that the MP evolves differently according to the physiological state of the mated female. In blood-fed females, it persists 22-25 hrs post mating. Follows a period of 3-4 days in which the spermathecae acquire different form from that of the virgin spermathecae, but sperms are still undistinguishable. Active sperms appear only a few hours before oviposition. After oviposition, however, spermathecae are void as in the virgin female. Thus, during the complete gonotrophic cycle the spermathecae display five different forms: a) normal and void; b) showing MP; c) distended and yellowish, MP absent; d) active sperms present; e) normal and void. In unfed females, MP was observed to last for 6 days post copula. The results show also that MP is interfering with reinsemination.
Maroli
M
M
Department of Parasitology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Bettini
S
S
Tricoli
D
D
Khoury
C
C
Perrotti
E
E
D000818:Animals; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000502:physiology; D007314:Insemination; D008297:Male; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013045:Species Specificity