Abilities
So you can image copulatory marks and men genital morphology of every varieties, i reached male and female genitalia due to dissections. For this reason, we sampled even more queens (both virgin and you will physogastric mated of these) and extra newly emerged males each and every varieties, pursuing the exact same testing conditions in the past revealed (comprehend the prior areas). I up coming dissected per specimens’ metasoma to view the fresh vaginal region of women and you will people. Shortly after dissection, we immediately snap these structures to be sure the ethics of membranous buildings, particularly in females. Dissections observed the method in the past demonstrated inside the Vaginal useful morphology, hypothesized plugging measures and mating ranking. In the long run, i utilized an effective Leica DM one thousand stereomicroscope, combined with an attracting tube to set up the brand new images of your own mating couple (?20 magnification, Vaginal useful morphology, hypothesized plugging actions and you will mating ranks) while the vaginal practical morphology (?80 magnification, Vaginal functional morphology, hypothesized plugging methods and mating ranking). We vectorized and you may managed this type of illustrations or photos having fun with an image editor app. We also made use of an excellent Leica DFC420 digital camera linked to a great Leica M205A stereomicroscope which will make higher-resolution photo of females and you may guys genitalia (?step 1.0 lens and you will ?fifty magnification, Point dos.4). Earliest, i got multifocus color images, then i stacked her or him in one visualize making use of the Leica software suite variation step 3.4.1. I regular this procedure for every genitalia (men and women) off every tested stingless bee variety, however, that, Yards. melapling limitations.
Harrowing mating within the stingless bees
No melanized spots have been recognized into the examined unmated virgin queens. In all varieties, physogastric queens displayed melanized patches to their membranous pouches ( Table step 1), except for Yards. fasciculata ( Contour step one). The fresh new membranous pockets was the only real part that have copulatory marks. When you look at the each mated queen, patches was constantly paired, coordinating this new inferred reputation of zoosk vs match log in your own set of knob regulators inside the the male vaginal medicine. Spots have been located on for every single wallet, and you will symmetrically arranged ( Shape step one). Additionally, melanized spots appeared to be long lasting, because the i seen them into the mated queens various age, centered on all of our side wear classification ( Second Contour S3 ).
People vaginal chamber, pattern from copulatory scratches, and you will ventral view of male genital drugs away from F. longipes, P. minima, Scaptotrigona aff. postica, Melipona flavolineata, Meters. seminigra, and Meters. fasciculata. Away from left to help you proper, photo reveal the latest genital chamber away from virgin queens, the brand new genital chamber away from mated queens, as well as the melanized patches available on queens, which happen to be indicated by the white arrows regarding 3rd line out of photographs. Singly mated queens reveal one group of melanized spots, found getting F. longipes, P. minima, S. aff. postica, M. flavolineata, and you may Yards. seminigra; otherwise an extended-term attached plug, simply included in M. fasciculata. Remated M. seminigra queens, shown because of the black colored asterisk, show multiple pairs out of melanized spots and you will central spots. Regarding the right-hand number of photos, men drugs are shown just like the triggered mating plugs simply for Melipona kinds, exhibiting turned dick regulators. I together with show an enthusiastic inactivated mating plug for Yards. fasciculata, while the conveyed of the light asterisk. Black bars depict a scale of 0.5 mm. It figure boasts photo out of 6 away from all of our seven analyzed types (look for Issue and methods).
Female vaginal chamber, pattern away from copulatory marks, and you will ventral look at men genital tablets out-of F. longipes, P. minima, Scaptotrigona aff. postica, Melipona flavolineata, Meters. seminigra, and you may Yards. fasciculata. Regarding leftover so you can right, photographs show the fresh new vaginal chamber away from virgin queens, new genital chamber out-of mated queens, and also the melanized patches available on queens, being conveyed because of the light arrows about 3rd line regarding images. Singly mated queens reveal just one collection of melanized patches, shown to have F. longipes, P. minima, S. aff. postica, Yards. flavolineata, and M. seminigra; or a lengthy-identity attached plug, merely utilized in Meters. fasciculata. Remated M. seminigra queens, shown of the black colored asterisk, tell you multiple pairs away from melanized spots and you may main patches. Regarding right-hand group of images, male medications try showed once the activated mating plugs simply for Melipona kinds, exhibiting rotated knob valves. We plus let you know an inactivated mating plug having Yards. fasciculata, just like the shown by the light asterisk. Black colored pubs portray a measure away from 0.5 mm. It figure comes with photographs out-of 6 out-of our very own eight examined varieties (find Question and techniques).