PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Mating plugs in animals are ubiquitous and are commonly interpreted to be products of mating strategies. In spiders, however, mating plugs may also take on functions beyond female remating prevention. Due to the vagaries of female genital (spermathecal) anatomy, most spiders face the problem of having to secure additional, non-anatomical, protection for transferred sperm. Here, we test the hypothesis that mating plugs, rather than (or in addition to) being adaptations for mating strategies, may serve as sperm protection mechanism. Based on a comparative study on 411 epigyna sampled from 36 families, 187 genera, 330 species of entelegyne spiders, our results confirm the necessity of a sperm protection mechanism. We divided the entelegyne spermathecae into four types: SEG, SED, SCG and SCD. We also studied detailed morphology of epigynal tracts in the spider Diphya wulingensis having the SEG type spermathecae, using 3D-reconstruction based on semi thin histological series section. In this species, we hypothesize that two distinct types of mating plug, the sperm plug and the secretion plug, serve different functions. Morphological details support this: sperm plugs are formed on a modified spermathecal wall by the spilled sperm, and function as a temporary protection mechanism to prevent sperm from leaking and desiccating, while secretion plugs function in postcopulation both as a permanent protection mechanism, and to prevent additional mating. Furthermore, with the modified spermathecal wall of S2 stalk, the problem of shunt of sperm input and output, and the possibility of female multiple mating have been resolved. Variation in spermathecal morphology also suggests that the problem of sperm protection might be resolved in different ways in spiders. Considering mating plugs of varying shapes and origins in the vast morphospace of spiders, we conclude that mating plugs might serve different purposes that relate both to mating strategies, as well as to sperm protection.
摘要：
动物中的交配塞无处不在，通常被解释为交配策略的产物。在蜘蛛中，然而,交配插头也可以承担超出女性交配预防的功能。由于女性生殖器（精子）解剖的变幻莫测，大多数蜘蛛面临的问题是必须获得额外的，非解剖学，保护转移的精子。这里,我们检验了配对插头的假设，而不是(或除了)适应交配策略，可以作为精子保护机制。基于对36个家庭的411个epigyna样本的比较研究，187属，昆虫蜘蛛330种，我们的研究结果证实了精子保护机制的必要性.我们将根结线虫精子分为四种类型：SEG，SED,SCG和SCD。我们还研究了具有SEG型精囊的Diphyawulingensis中附体束的详细形态，使用基于半薄组织学系列切片的三维重建。在这个物种中,我们假设两种不同类型的配合插头，精子塞和分泌物塞，提供不同的功能。形态学细节支持这一点：精子塞是由溢出的精子在改良的精子壁上形成的，并起到临时保护机制的作用，以防止精子泄漏和干燥，而分泌塞在交配后起作用，既是一种永久的保护机制，并防止额外的交配。此外，S2茎的精壁改良，精子输入和输出的分流问题，雌性多次交配的可能性已经解决。精子形态的变化也表明，蜘蛛的精子保护问题可能会以不同的方式解决。考虑到蜘蛛广阔形态空间中不同形状和起源的配对插头，我们得出的结论是，配对插头可能有不同的目的，这与配对策略有关，以及对精子的保护。
