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Staikou A, Koemtzopoulos E. Intraspecific morphological variation of the sperm storing organ in two hermaphroditic land snail species. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 26:1. [PMID: 30733933 PMCID: PMC6354400 DOI: 10.1186/s40709-019-0093-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background Postcopulatory sexual selection is very important in species with reproductive strategies that involve multiple mating and prolonged sperm storage. The sperm storage organ has been hypothesized to evolve in response to different levels of sperm competition in several species while population density has been considered as a factor that approximates sperm competition risk and intensity in the field. Apart from population density, local microclimatic conditions may also play a role in determining sperm competition levels in natural populations of land snails by affecting their chances of encountering mates. The goal of this study was to investigate the variation of the structure of the sperm storage organ in the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails Helix lucorum and Cepaea vindobonensis occurring sympatrically in two sites which differed in habitat humidity. The populations of both species from the two sites, also differed in density and in duration of reproductive period. Multiple samples were taken from each population in order to test for temporal variation. Results In both species, the spermatheca consisted of a simple fertilization chamber and a variable number of lateral tubules. The length of the spermatheca showed no temporal or spatial differentiation nor did it show any correlation with snail size. The number of tubules in Helix lucorum ranged from five to sixteen and in Cepaea vindobonensis from one to eight and in both species a significant difference of this trait between the two study sites was detected. In Cepaea vindobonensis, the difference in tubule number led to difference of the total tubule length which reflects sperm storage capacity of the spermatheca but this was not the case with H. lucorum in which no increase in total tubule length was detected. Conclusions Intraspecific variation in the spermatheca was observed in both snail species studied. The variation observed was independent of snail size, and reproduction status, while the two species responded differently to higher sperm competition levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Staikou
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evripidis Koemtzopoulos
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
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Abdelli M, Benbellil-Tafoughalt S, Koene JM. Intra-specific morphological variation of the spermatheca in the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Helix aperta. ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00435-017-0379-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Garefalaki ME, Kalyva S, Janicke T, Staikou A. Intraspecific variation in reproductive characters is associated with the strength of sexual selection in the hermaphroditic land snail Cornu aspersum. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2383-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Phenotypic plasticity in the common garden snail: big guts and heavier mucus glands compete in snails faced with the dual challenge of poor diet and coarse substrate. J Comp Physiol B 2016; 187:545-561. [PMID: 28025707 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-016-1051-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity allows animals to manage environmental challenges. Studies aimed at quantifying plasticity often focus on one challenge, such as diet, and one organ system, such the gastrointestinal tract, but this approach may not adequately reflect how plasticity could buffer multiple challenges. Thus, we investigated the outcomes of a dual challenge experiment that fed land snails either a high-fibre (low quality) or a low-fibre (high quality) diet, and simultaneously exercised them daily over 1.2 m on either a smooth surface of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or a rough sandpaper. By the end of 20 days, snails fed the poor quality diet had a longer crop and oesophagus and a heavier intestine and rectum than those offered a low-fibre diet. Additionally, high-fibre fed snails had a smaller spermoviduct and oviduct. When also exercised on sandpaper, high-fibre fed snails had a smaller digestive gland, a main energy store, than those exercised on PVC. All snails exercised on sandpaper had a heavier pedal mucus gland, used a loping gait and used less mucus than those on PVC plastic, but there was no difference in the average speed of snails on either surface, supporting the conclusion that loping is a mucus conserving gait. Notably, snails faced with both a diet and substrate challenge had a smaller kidney, which could directly effect fecundity. This demonstrates that our dual challenge approach has potential for evaluating the costs and limits of the plasticity necessary to fully appreciate the evolutionary significance of plasticity in snails and other species.
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Janssen R, Baur B. Seasonal effects on egg production and level of paternity in a natural population of a simultaneous hermaphrodite snail. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:2916-28. [PMID: 26306176 PMCID: PMC4541995 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2014] [Revised: 05/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In a seasonal environment, the suitable time window for females to reproduce is restricted by both environmental conditions and the availability of males. In simultaneous hermaphrodites, which are female and male at the same time, selection on a trait that is solely beneficial for one sexual function cannot occur independently. Therefore, it is assumed that the optimal time window for reproduction is a compromise between the two sexual functions in simultaneous hermaphrodites, mediated by environmental conditions. We examined seasonal patterns of reproduction and the resulting paternity in a natural population of the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Arianta arbustorum. Adult and premature individuals (snails in a short protandric phase) were collected on four occasions over the entire active season. The snails were allowed to deposit eggs after which we assessed the level of paternity in their hatched offspring. Individuals mated throughout the reproductive season, whereas egg production - the major task of the female function - was restricted to the first half of the season. Snails collected in autumn were allowed to hibernate under laboratory conditions. As a result, we found that premature individuals began to mate late in the reproductive season, but did not start to produce eggs before emerging from hibernation. Our results demonstrate a temporal shift of reproductive activities; the egg production and oviposition occur mainly in the first half of the season, while sperm production and mating occur over the entire season. In subadult and adult snails, sperm obtained from several partners in the second part of the reproductive season are stored during hibernation for the fertilization of eggs in the successive years. These results extend our understanding of the influence of both natural and sexual selection on reproductive strategies in hermaphrodites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Janssen
- Section of Conservation Biology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselSt. Johanns-Vorstadt 10, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Bruno Baur
- Section of Conservation Biology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselSt. Johanns-Vorstadt 10, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
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Abstract
Hermaphrodites combine the male and female sex functions into a single individual, either sequentially or simultaneously. This simple fact means that they exhibit both similarities and differences in the way in which they experience, and respond to, sexual conflict compared to separate-sexed organisms. Here, we focus on clarifying how sexual conflict concepts can be adapted to apply to all anisogamous sexual systems and review unique (or especially important) aspects of sexual conflict in hermaphroditic animals. These include conflicts over the timing of sex change in sequential hermaphrodites, and in simultaneous hermaphrodites, over both sex roles and the postmating manipulation of the sperm recipient by the sperm donor. Extending and applying sexual conflict thinking to hermaphrodites can identify general evolutionary principles and help explain some of the unique reproductive diversity found among animals exhibiting this widespread but to date understudied sexual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Schärer
- Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, University of Basel, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tim Janicke
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive, CNRS UMR 5175, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Steven A Ramm
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
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Kimura K, Chiba S. Strategic ejaculation in simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails: more sperm into virgin mates. BMC Evol Biol 2013; 13:264. [PMID: 24304518 PMCID: PMC4235035 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It has been theorised that sperm competition promotes the strategic usage of costly sperm. Although sperm competition is thought to be an important driving force of reproductive traits in simultaneous hermaphrodites as well as in species with separate sexes, empirical studies on strategic ejaculation in simultaneous hermaphrodites are scarce. Results In the present study, we tested whether the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Euhadra quaesita adjusts the number of sperm donated according to the condition of the mate and whether the pattern of strategic ejaculation is in line with previously suggested theories. We found that individuals donated much more sperm when they copulated with a virgin mate than when they copulated with a non-virgin. Conclusion The virgin-biased pattern of ejaculation matches the theoretical prediction and suggests that sperm competition significantly influence the reproductive traits of simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Kimura
- Department of Environmental Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Kawauchi 41, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8576, Japan.
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Kupfernagel S, Beier K, Janssen R, Rusterholz HP, Baur A, Baur B. An Immunolabelling Technique to Track Sperm from Different Mates in the Female Reproductive Organs of Terrestrial Gastropods. MALACOLOGIA 2013. [DOI: 10.4002/040.056.0214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Medeiros C, Daniel PA, Santos EO, Ferreira PB, Caldeira RL, Mendonça CL, Carvalho OS, D’ávila S. Macro- and microscopic morphology of the reproductive system of Leptinaria unilamellata (d’Orbigny, 1835) (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Subulinidae). J NAT HIST 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.775373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Medeiros
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
- Laboratório de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
- Nucleo de Malacologia Prof. Maury Pinto de Oliveira, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - P. A. Daniel
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil
- Nucleo de Malacologia Prof. Maury Pinto de Oliveira, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - E. O. Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil
- Nucleo de Malacologia Prof. Maury Pinto de Oliveira, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - P. B. Ferreira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Comportamento e Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil
- Nucleo de Malacologia Prof. Maury Pinto de Oliveira, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - R. L. Caldeira
- Laboratório de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - C. L.F. Mendonça
- Laboratório de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - O. S. Carvalho
- Laboratório de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - S. D’ávila
- Nucleo de Malacologia Prof. Maury Pinto de Oliveira, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil
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Nakadera Y, Koene JM. Reproductive strategies in hermaphroditic gastropods: conceptual and empirical approaches. CAN J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2012-0272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
An individual optimizes its reproductive success by adopting a particular reproductive strategy. Studying the details of a reproductive strategy leads to an understanding of how sexual selection acts, as the former is the process via which the individual reproduces successfully. Hermaphroditic gastropods display a bewildering diversity of reproductive strategies, which may be due to their mode of gender expression, when compared with well-studied separate-sexed species. Extensive theoretical, observational, and experimental research has been conducted on this topic. However, despite our knowledge about the reproductive system of hermaphroditic gastropods, we still need to fill the gap between pre- and post-copulatory processes and reproductive success. Here, we review and propose conceptual and empirical approaches aimed at understanding reproductive strategies of hermaphroditic gastropods. In sum, our suggestions are (i) to focus on sex-biased traits, (ii) to take biologically reliable measurements at both the pre- and post-copulatory level that relate to reproductive success, and (iii) to examine the fitness consequences of biased sex allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumi Nakadera
- Section Animal Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joris M. Koene
- Section Animal Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Berillis P, Hatziioannou M, Karapanagiotidis IT, Neofitou C. Morphological study of muscular tissue collagen of wild and rearedCornu aspersum(Müller, 1774). MOLLUSCAN RESEARCH 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/13235818.2012.754143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Kimura K, Chiba S. Delayed spermatophore removal in the land snailEuhadra peliomphala. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Kimura
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Graduate School of Life Sciences; Tohoku University; Aramaki-Aoba 6-3, Aoba-ku; Sendai; 980-8578; Japan
| | - Satoshi Chiba
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Graduate School of Life Sciences; Tohoku University; Aramaki-Aoba 6-3, Aoba-ku; Sendai; 980-8578; Japan
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GAREFALAKI ME, TRIANTAFYLLIDIS A, ABATZOPOULOS TJ, STAIKOU A. The outcome of sperm competition is affected by behavioural and anatomical reproductive traits in a simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail. J Evol Biol 2010; 23:966-76. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2010.01964.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Chase R, Darbyson E. Differential survival of allosperm by location within the female storage organ of the snail Cornu aspersum. CAN J ZOOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1139/z08-109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The sperm storage organ of terrestrial gastropod molluscs is implicated in sexual selection because it has a complex structure and it functions in a context of intense sperm competition. Received sperm are stored in spermathecal tubules. In our sample using the brown garden snail ( Cornu aspersum (Müller, 1774)) (n = 58), the mean number of tubules per animal was 16, with lengths ranging from ≤40 to 2480 μm. A hereditary influence on tubule number was indicated by clutch-dependent variations. From histological sections, we counted the spermatozoa that were present in the tubules of ex-virgin snails 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after mating (n = 40). Sperm were distributed, on average, across 75% of the tubules in individual snails, thus contradicting one proposed mechanism for cryptic female choice. The total number of sperm declined 66% over 8 weeks, with the largest losses incurred by sperm in the lumens of the tubules and sperm gathered in clusters. By contrast, in the same period, the numbers of sperm that were in contact with the walls of the tubules remained relatively stable. These data imply that sperm survive best when attached to the epithelial wall, either because they derive nutrition from the epithelium or because they use the epithelium as an anchor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Chase
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 avenue Docteur Penfield, Montréal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Emily Darbyson
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 avenue Docteur Penfield, Montréal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
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