Symposium on Reproduction of Arthropods of Medical and Veterinary Importance: III. Accessory functions of seminal fluid

Abstract

The accessory functions subserved by the seminal fluid have for long been of interest, and much is now known about the activation of the spermatozoa and the formation of spermatophores and various kinds of vaginal and bursal plugs such as spermatophragma. During the last few years it has become clear that by means of peptides and other substances in the seminal fluid the males of a number of species of insects control the physiology of mated females in several important ways, and recent work on this subject is here briefly summarized.