Copulation sequence and mating termination in the male cricket Gryllus bimaculatus DeGeer

• Published in: Journal of insect physiology Vol. 37; no. 8; pp. 599,607 - 605,615
• Main Authors: Sakai, Masaki, Taoda, Yasuo, Mori, Kazuya, Fujino, Masato, Ohta, Chizu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 1991; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biochemistry. Physiology. Immunology; Biological and medical sciences; copulation; copulation sequence; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gryllidae; Gryllus bimaculatus; Insecta; Invertebrates; Male cricket; males; mating behavior; mating termination; Orthoptera; Physiology. Development; reproduction; responses; sequences; stimuli; Male cricket; mating termination; copulation sequence; Gryllus bimaculatus; reproduction; Insecta; Orthoptera; Innervation; Sex; Male; Stimulation; Sensory receptor; Gryllidae; Male genital system; Mating; Reproduction; Arthropoda; Invertebrata; Sensilla; Spermatophore
• ISSN: 0022-1910; 1879-1611
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-1910(91)90037-Z

Mating in the male cricket Gryllus bimaculatus proceeds as a result of a stimulus-esponse chain. The final act, spermatophore extrusion, is elicited by mechanical stimulation of small sensilla in the cavity enclosed by the epiphallus. In normal copulation, stimulation for this seems to be made by insertion of the female's copulatory papilla into the cavity. To induce spermatophore extrusion efficiently, the bodily tonus had to be heightened, eliciting male copulatory actions by giving key stimuli to the body surface in a sexually excited state. Mating termination, which is defined as spermatophore protrusion, is not initiated by peripheral feedback from the genitalia but is apparently due to some central events in the terminal abdominal ganglion. Control experiments with many adverse stimuli confirm that mimetic stimulation can induce mating termination normally as in natural copulation. Some case in which the male cycle is renewed after spermatophore extrusion without genitalia coupling are also described.