Morphological evolution and diversification of enigmatic genital structures in Dipsocoromorpha

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K07502
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: Tokushima Prefectural Museum
• Principal Investigator: Yamada Kazutaka 徳島県立博物館, 自然課, 主任 (20463474)
• Research Collaborator: Weirauch Christiane ; Tsai Jing-Fu
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 交尾器形態 / 交尾行動 / ムクゲカメムシ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mating behavior of the three dipsocoromorphan families (Dipsocoridae, Ceratocombidae, Schizopteridae) were succeeded to confirm based on the field observations and laboratory culture. The mating of Schizopteridae and Dipsocoridae is observed for the first time. Their mating behavior were almost the same that of other heteropterans (e.g., some Cimicomorphans). In Dipsocoridae, the male jumped onto the female’s dorsum and inserted his abdomen to sandwich her dorso-ventral surfaces of posterior part of abdomen from the right side by his pregenital abdominal appendages. The local thickenings in females are found on their laterotergite VII. The function of laterotergite VIII is different in the three dipsocoromorphan families. The length of male intromittent organ (phallus or vesica) may correlated with the length of female spermathecal duct.

Free Research Field

生物学・系統分類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでほとんど知られていなかったムクゲカメムシ下目の交尾行動を初めて観察し、観察困難であった本下目の雌雄交尾器を機能的側面から探ることができた。本研究により、本下目の複雑で多様な交尾器が機械的生殖隔離機構の実態を検証する好適な材料となる可能性が示唆された。