Revista de Biología Tropical ISSN Impreso: 0034-7744 ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075

OAI: https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/oai
What do we really know about how velvet worms mate?
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Keywords

spermatozoa
spermatophore
genital opening
vaginal or skin insemination
fertilization by undesirable males
espermatozoos
espermatóforo
apertura genital
inseminación vaginal o por la piel
fecundación por machos indeseables

How to Cite

Monge, J. (2019). What do we really know about how velvet worms mate?. Revista De Biología Tropical, (1), Darwin. Retrieved from https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/36337

Abstract

After more than a century of studying a phylum that has over 200 species, we only have three reports of the mating itself. Insemination can occur vaginally or through the skin, and it is suspected that the male simply places its genital opening against the vulva and inserts the spermatophore. However, in the particular case of a few Australian onychophorans, males insert it with a specialized head structure, and the spermatophore also serves as a vaginal plug, preventing insemination by other males.

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References

Manton, S. M. (1938). Studies on the Onychophora, IV-The passage of spermatozoa into the ovary on Peripatopsis and the early developments of the ova. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 228(556), 421-441.

Monge-Nájera, J., Barquero-González, P., & Morera-Brenes, B. (2019a). The persistent embrace of onychophorans: What determines copulation duration in velvet worms? Darwin In Memorian Column. Retrieved from https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/36161

Monge-Nájera, J., Barquero-González, P., & Morera-Brenes, B. (2019b). Why do some Australian onychophorans have fantastic heads? Darwin In Memorian Column. Retrieved from https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/36260

Oliveira, I. de Sena, Franke, F. A., Hering, L., Schaffer, S., Rowell, D. M., Weck-Heimann, A., ... Mayer, G. (2012). Unexplored character diversity in Onychophora (velvet worms): a comparative study of three peripatid species. PloS one, 7(12), e51220.

Sherbon, B. J., & Walker, M. H. (2004). A new species of Peripatopsis from South Africa, P. stelliporata, with observations on embryonic development and sperm degradation (Onychophora, Peripatopsidae). Journal of Zoology, 264(3), 295-305.

Tait, N. N., & Norman, J. M. (2001). Novel mating behaviour in Florelliceps stutchburyae gen. nov., sp. nov. (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) from Australia. Journal of Zoology, 253(3), 301-308.

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