Latrophilins are highly conserved Adhesion GPCRs playing essential roles in the mammalian nervous system and are associated with severe neurological disorders. Recently, it has been shown that murine ...Latrophilins mediate classical G-protein signals to drive synaptogenesis. However, there is evidence that Latrophilins in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans can also function independently of their seven-transmembrane domain and C terminus (trans function). Here, we show that Latrophilin-1 acts in trans to mediate morphogenesis of sensory structures in the C. elegans nervous system. This trans function is physiologically relevant in copulation behavior. Detailed expression and RNA-Seq analyses revealed specific LAT-1-positive neurons and first insights into the genetic network that is modulated by the receptor function. We conclude that 7TM-independent functions of Latrophilins are essential for neuronal physiology, possibly complementing canonical functions via G protein-mediated signaling.
•The aGPCR Latrophilin-1 (LAT-1) is present in a wide range of neurons in C. elegans males.•RNA-Seq analyses suggest LAT-1 involvement in neurodevelopment, mechanosensation and copulation behavior.•LAT-1 mediates morphogenesis of sensory structures essential for copulation.•The receptor mediates these roles in neurons via a 7TM-independent/trans function.
In some squids, such as those in the family Loliginidae, upon copulation, females receive and store male-delivered sperm capsules, spermatangia, at two different body locations: the buccal membrane ...and the distal end of the oviduct. This insemination site dimorphism is associated with alternative reproductive strategies. However, in Loliolus sumatrensis, a species of Loliginidae, the females possess three insemination sites: buccal membrane (BM), basal left IV arm (ARM) and lateral head behind the left eye (EYE), therefore we studied such the unusual phenomena. We developed microsatellite markers and genotyped the paternity of each spermatangium on three sites. We found multiple paternity at every single site and simultaneous usage of all three sites by a few males. The seasonal dynamics of a population in the Seto Inland Sea revealed a set priority for the initial use of insemination sites as BM, followed by ARM and then EYE, whereas the maximum number of stored spermatangia was greater in EYE > ARM > BM. Female maturity status was correlated with the usage pattern of insemination sites but not with the number of stored spermatangia at any insemination site. These results suggest that a male squid inseminates at different locations according to female mating history and female maturity status.
Necrophilic behavior (attempted copulation with corpses) has been scarcely reported in non-human primates, especially in the wild. Here is the first case of necrophilic behavior observed in wild ...stump-tailed macaques in Thailand. Six groups of total N > 460 individuals have been identified and habituated. The corpse of an adult female was found and directly observed for 2 days and by camera trap for 3 days. The cause of death could not be identified, but no prominent physical injury was detected. Within 3 days of the observation, three different males attempted copulation with the corpse. Noteworthy for this observation was that not only males in the group of the dead female but also males from different groups interacted with the corpse. Taken together, these observations suggest that some cues emanating from the corpse coupled with a nonresistant/passive orientation may have triggered these responses in the males. Given that necrophiliac responses have been scarcely reported in non-human primates, our findings provide new insight into these behaviors and to comparative thanatology in general.
•Kisspeptin administration to male rats increases precopulatory behavior in male rats and reduces mating failure independently of testosterone.•Kisspeptin administration to male rats increases female ...proceptive behavior, which requires the presence of testosterone in males.•Kisspeptin administration to male rats did not affect copulatory behavior in male rats and receptive behavior in partner female rats.•Male sexual desire and aggressiveness towards the opposite sex are not solely driven by testosterone, and also that kisspeptin may exert effects independent of testosterone.
Kisspeptin is a peptide that plays an important role through its effects on the hypothalamus-pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. It has also been implicated in sexual behavior. The present study investigated whether the relationship between kisspeptin and sexual behavior is independent of the HPG axis, i.e., testosterone. Sexual behavior was examined after the administration of kisspeptin to gonadally intact male rats and gonadectomized male rats that received testosterone supplementation. Other male rats were also observed for sexual behavior once a week from 2 to 5 weeks after gonadectomy and receiving kisspeptin for the sixth postoperative week. Sexual behavior in female rats serving as the partner for each male was also observed. Female rats were not administered kisspeptin in the present study. The results obtained showed that the administration of kisspeptin increased precopulatory behavior in gonadally intact male rats and gonadectomized male rats that received testosterone supplementation and proceptive behavior in their female partners. Precopulatory behavior in males and receptive behavior in females increased, while copulatory behavior in males and receptive behavior in females remained unchanged. Furthermore, the administration of kisspeptin increased precopulatory behavior in gonadectomized males, but did not affect receptive behavior in females. These results suggest that kisspeptin affected males independently and/or supplementally to testosterone, and also that changes in the presence of testosterone in males had an impact on proceptive behavior in their female partners. In conclusion, kisspeptin may involve an as-yet-unidentified neural pathway in sexual desire independently of the HPG axis.
The radiation-based sterile insect technique (SIT) has successfully suppressed field populations of several insect pest species, but its effect on mosquito vector control has been limited. The ...related incompatible insect technique (IIT)-which uses sterilization caused by the maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia-is a promising alternative, but can be undermined by accidental release of females infected with the same Wolbachia strain as the released males. Here we show that combining incompatible and sterile insect techniques (IIT-SIT) enables near elimination of field populations of the world's most invasive mosquito species, Aedes albopictus. Millions of factory-reared adult males with an artificial triple-Wolbachia infection were released, with prior pupal irradiation of the released mosquitoes to prevent unintentionally released triply infected females from successfully reproducing in the field. This successful field trial demonstrates the feasibility of area-wide application of combined IIT-SIT for mosquito vector control.
Abstract Mate choice is a crucial decision in any animal. In terms of fitness, the best mate is the one that leads to the most abundant and productive offspring. Pairing with a low-quality mate would ...reduce fitness, generating selection for accurate and subtle mate choice in all animal species. Hence, mate choice is expected to be highly context dependent, and should depend on other potential options. For instance, a medium-quality male can constitute the best option when all other males are in poorer condition, but not when there are better-quality males available. Therefore, animals are predicted to gather information about their social context and adapt their mate choice to it. Here, we report on experiments in which we manipulated the social environment of females of Drosophila melanogaster and found that after encountering a high or a low-quality male, they take more or less time to accept copulation with another male, suggesting that females adapt their mating strategy to their social context. We also report on a similar effect in D. biarmiceps . Thus, male attractiveness appears to depend on the quality of recently met males, suggesting that male attractiveness is subjective, indicating plastic and context dependent mate choice.
Reproduction in jawed vertebrates (gnathostomes) involves either external or internal fertilization. It is commonly argued that internal fertilization can evolve from external, but not the reverse. ...Male copulatory claspers are present in certain placoderms, fossil jawed vertebrates retrieved as a paraphyletic segment of the gnathostome stem group in recent studies. This suggests that internal fertilization could be primitive for gnathostomes, but such a conclusion depends on demonstrating that copulation was not just a specialized feature of certain placoderm subgroups. The reproductive biology of antiarchs, consistently identified as the least crownward placoderms and thus of great interest in this context, has until now remained unknown. Here we show that certain antiarchs possessed dermal claspers in the males, while females bore paired dermal plates inferred to have facilitated copulation. These structures are not associated with pelvic fins. The clasper morphology resembles that of ptyctodonts, a more crownward placoderm group, suggesting that all placoderm claspers are homologous and that internal fertilization characterized all placoderms. This implies that external fertilization and spawning, which characterize most extant aquatic gnathostomes, must be derived from internal fertilization, even though this transformation has been thought implausible. Alternatively, the substantial morphological evidence for placoderm paraphyly must be rejected.
Synopsis
A huge amount of research attention has focused on the evolution of life histories, but most research focuses on dominant individuals that acquire a disproportionate level of reproductive ...success, while the life histories and reproductive tactics of subordinate individuals have received less attention. Here, we review the links between early life adversity and performance during adulthood in birds, and highlight instances in which subordinate individuals outperform dominant conspecifics. Subordinate individuals are those from broods raised under high risk of predation, with low availability of food, and/or with many parasites. Meanwhile, the broods of many species hatch or are born asynchronously and mitigation of the asynchrony is generally lacking from variation in maternal effects such as egg size and hormone deposition or genetic effects such as offspring sex or parentage. Subordinate individuals employ patterns of differential growth to attempt to mitigate the adversity they experience during early life, yet they overwhelmingly fail to overcome their initial handicap. In terms of surviving through to adulthood, subordinate individuals employ other “suboptimal” tactics, such as adaptively timing foraging behaviors to avoid dominant individuals. During adulthood, meanwhile, subordinate individuals rely on “suboptimal” tactics, such as adaptive dispersal behaviors and competing for partners at optimal times, because they represent the best options available to them to acquire copulations whenever possible. We conclude that there is a gap in knowledge for direct links between early life adversity and subordination during adulthood, meaning that further research should test for links. There are instances, however, where subordinate individuals employ “suboptimal” tactics that allow them to outperform dominant conspecifics during adulthood.
The mating behaviour and egg laying pattern of the areca nut white grub, Leucopholis lepidophora, were studied in the Shivamogga district’s Hosanagara taluk. Females were active between 18:40 and ...19:20 hrs, when light intensity dropped to 83.62 lux. The most males approached the virgin female at 18:50 hrs (15.94 lux) and the session ended at 19:20 hrs (0.26 lux). The typical mating behaviour of L. lepidophora was investigated. Female beetles began abdominal expansion and contraction, which could indicate that semiochemical secretion has begun. Males then approached, calling out to females. Male raised all of its legs, turned its body ventrally, and became suspended by the genitalia after inserting genitalia into the female abdomen. Copulation lasted an average of 74.60±6.61 minutes. The adult female’s pre-oviposition period, oviposition period, and postoviposition period were 9.56± 2.04 days, 3.72± 2.35 days, and 5.24± 4.67 days, respectively. Female longevity ranged from 11 to 28 days, with an average of 18.52± 4.91 days. The incubation period was 9.56± 2.04 days, with varying fecundity and clutch intervals ranging from 24-48 hours. Experiment on egg laying pattern revealed that females waited an average of 9.56± 2.04 days before oviposition began, after which they began to lay varying numbers of eggs at an average clutch interval of approximately 24-48 hours.
The mating behaviour and egg laying pattern of the areca nut white grub, Leucopholis lepidophora, were studied in the Shivamogga district’s Hosanagara taluk. Females were active between 18:40 and 19:20 hrs, when light intensity dropped to 83.62 lux. The most males approached the virgin female at 18:50 hrs (15.94 lux) and the session ended at 19:20 hrs (0.26 lux). The typical mating behaviour of L. lepidophora was investigated. Female beetles began abdominal expansion and contraction, which could indicate that semiochemical secretion has begun. Males then approached, calling out to females. Male raised all of its legs, turned its body ventrally, and became suspended by the genitalia after inserting genitalia into the female abdomen. Copulation lasted an average of 74.60±6.61 minutes. The adult female’s pre-oviposition period, oviposition period, and postoviposition period were 9.56± 2.04 days, 3.72± 2.35 days, and 5.24± 4.67 days, respectively. Female longevity ranged from 11 to 28 days, with an average of 18.52± 4.91 days. The incubation period was 9.56± 2.04 days, with varying fecundity and clutch intervals ranging from 24-48 hours. Experiment on egg laying pattern revealed that females waited an average of 9.56± 2.04 days before oviposition began, after which they began to lay varying numbers of eggs at an average clutch interval of approximately 24-48 hours.
Male mice with homozygous loss of function mutations of the transcription factor gene Pea3 (Pea3 null) are infertile due to their inability to inseminate females, however the specific deficits in ...male sexual behaviors that drive this phenotype are unknown. Here, the copulatory behavior of male mice (Pea3 null and control) with hormonally primed ovariectomized females was monitored via high-speed and high-resolution digital videography to assess for differences in female-directed social behaviors, gross sexual behaviors (mounting, thrusting), and erectile and ejaculatory function. Pea3 null male mice exhibit greatly reduced erectile function, with 44% of males displaying no visible erections during copulation, and 0% achieving sustained erections. As such, Pea3 null males are incapable of intromission and copulatory plug deposition, despite displaying largely normal female-directed social behaviors, mounting behaviors, and ejaculatory grasping behavior. Additionally, the organization and timing of thrusting behaviors is impaired in Pea3 null males. Our results show that the transcription factor gene Pea3 regulates the ability to achieve and maintain erections during copulation in mice.
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