STUDIES ON SPERMATHECAL FILLING IN AEDES AEGYPTI (LINNAEUS). I. DESCRIPTION

Abstract

Many sperm deposited in the bursa of female rapidly locomote around the male accessory gland secretion of the ejaculate and assemble on the ventral floor of the sac at its orifice where they undergo rapid and violent synchronous coiling movements. The strong orientation of the sperm head to certain interfaces presumably guides the contracting cells over a U-shaped route directly into the vestibule where they contact the spermathecal ducts. Bundles of sperm swiftly ascend these ducts and simultaneously fill the thecae. Shortly after sperm start to reach the thecae, the bursal wall swells. After this the accessory gland secretion within the bursa begins to vacuolate, and a short time after this sperm stop moving into the vestibule.