Abstract
It would not surprise that two related termite species are similar in many traits, especially those related to reproduction such as similarity in sexual organs, spermathecae, gametes, glands in genital organs and micropyles of eggs. Because similarities of them are thought to be directly linked to increase their reproductive fitness. Moreover, the key data showing successful hybridization between the two termite species under laboratory conditions and in the field. The present study was conducted on the base of morphometric analyses and histological examinations of the sperm, testes, vas deferens, accessory glands, ejaculatory duct and spermathecae of Reticulitermes flaviceps and R. chinensis. The accessory glands of male alates were found without spermatozoa in both termites. The patterns of spermatogenesis in the alate testes of both species were quite similar and the gametes (spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids, and sperm) produced in a sequence of essential developmental processes. The aflagellated sperm were transferred by male numerous times in a day after few copulations. They were stored alive in spermatheca by female and used for fertilization of oocytes. The nutrition was obtained by the sperm from the secretory cells, for a living and being functional during storage in the spermathecae. The spermathecae have finger shape and their thick walls divided into 4 type cells. Anatomically spermathecae of the two termite species consisted of lumens, ductules, and few glands, in thick wall structures. While the entire examinations revealed no more differences in the sexual organs of the two different species since R. flaviceps and R. chinensis can hybridize under experimental conditions as well as in wild to produce offspring. The similarity in the structure of sexual organs of both heterospecies provides possible evidence for the successful hybridization.
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16 February 2023
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-023-00956-1
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Acknowledgements
Thanks to the Chinese Gov’t Scholarship Council and Northwest University, China for supporting my Ph.D studies. Similar golden wishes to Prof. Yan Xing Rong for his valuable guidance and Zhang Hong Guo for his company during experiments. This work was supported by grants (31870389) from the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
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Xing Lian-Xi and Zahid Khan conceived and designed the study, and wrote the main manuscript text. Su Xiao-Hong, and Haroon performed the study and help in photography through Micro CT Scan and SEM. While Mian Sayed Khan, Suleman and Nehaz Muhammad collected termites and help in the statistical analysis. All authors reviewed the manuscript.
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Khan, Z., Khan, M.S., Suleman et al. Morphology of testis, sperm, and spermatheca in two capable hybridized termite species indicates no interspecific reproductive isolation. Int J Trop Insect Sci 42, 2909–2926 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-022-00817-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-022-00817-3