Effect of delayed mating on spermathecal activation in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera, Apidae) queens

Edmilson Amaral Souza; Lúcio Antônio Oliviera Campos; Clóvis Andrade Neves; José Cola Zanuncio; José Eduardo Serrão

doi:doi:10.1051/apido:2008008

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Volume 39 / No 3 (May-June 2008)

Apidologie, 39 3 (2008) 293-301

Abstract

Free Access

Issue		Apidologie Volume 39, Number 3, May-June 2008


Page(s)		293 - 301
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2008008
Published online		10 April 2008

Apidologie 39 (2008) 293-301
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2008008

Effect of delayed mating on spermathecal activation in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera, Apidae) queens

Edmilson Amaral Souza¹, Lúcio Antônio Oliviera Campos¹, Clóvis Andrade Neves¹, José Cola Zanuncio² and José Eduardo Serrão¹

¹ Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
² Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Received 11 July 2007 - Revised 29 October 2007 - Accepted 30 October 2007 - Published online 10 April 2008

Abstract - In this work, we examined the effect of delayed mating on spermathecal development in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides queens. The histology and histochemistry of the spermatheca of virgin queens zero, 15, 20, and 30 days old and physogastric queens were compared. There were no significant differences in the thickness of the epithelium and the volume of the spermathecal reservoir among virgin queens of different ages. However, physogastric queens had more voluminous spermathecae and thinner epithelia than virgin queens. The structure of the spermathecal glands was also influenced by mating. These findings suggest that mating leads to activation of the spermatheca and its glands.