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Flagellar microstructures of male tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae): implications for systematics and functional morphology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

R. Freitag ,
A. Hartwick  and
A. Singh
R. Freitag*
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada P7B 5E1
A. Hartwick
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Room 13B1, Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4H7
A. Singh
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2R7
*
1 Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed (E-mail: [email protected]).
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Abstract

A comparison of appressed teeth-like structures, coined tempers, on the flagellum of the male internal sac among 10 North American and one Asian species of tiger beetles is consistent with earlier proposed genera of Cicindela Linné, ranked here as subgenera. Based on scanning electron photomicrographs, observations revealed that the flagellum has a single groove along its whole length, with tempers in the groove, and for most species tempers are present only on one side of the ungrooved flagellar surface; tempers point basally (proximally) both on the flagellar surface and within the flagellar groove; and a distributional pattern of the tempers appears to be unique to each subgenus. The species Cicindela punctulata Olivier and Cicindela lepida Dejean have a lumen in place of a flagellar groove, the former with tempers on the ungrooved flagellar surface and the latter without. Tempers on the ungrooved surface of the flagellum are assumed to grip the inner wall of the spermathecal duct while penetrated by the flagellum during insemination or preinsemination clearing. The presence of tempers on one side of the flagellum promotes rapid, smooth insertion and removal of the flagellum from the duct. It is proposed that tempers of the flagellar groove assist the flow of seminal materials to the spermatheca by guiding the narrow neck of the spermatophore into the spermathecal duct while the flagellum is inserted.

Résumé

Une comparaison des structures dentées aplaties, içi nommées facilitateurs, sur le flagelle interne du sac mâle chez 11 espèces de cicindèle confirme le genre Cicindela Linné comme sous-genre. Les micrographies à balayage montrent que le flagelle possède une cannelure sur sa longueur dans laquelle il y a des facilitateurs. Pour la plupart des espèces, les facilitateurs sont seulement sur le côté du flagelle sans cannelure. La distribution des facilitateurs est unique pour chaque espèce. Les espèces Cicindela punctulata Olivier et Cicindela lepida Déjean ont un lumen à place d’une cannelure flagellaire, le premier ayant des facilitateurs sur le côté du flagelle sans cannelure, tandis que le dernier n’en a aucun. Facilitateurs sur le côté du flagelle sans cannelure sont présumés tenir le mur interne du canal de la spermathèque quand le flagelle y pénêtre durant l’insémination et la pré-insémination. La présence de facilitateurs sur un côté du flagelle facilite son insertion dans le canal et l’enlèvement rapide et coulant du canal. On suggère que les facilitateurs de la cannelure flagellaire assistent l’écoulement des matériaux séminaux en guidant le passage étroit du spermatophore dans le canal de la spermathèque.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 133 , Issue 5 , October 2001 , pp. 633 - 641
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 2001

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