Genital Autocleaning in the Male Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus (1): Structure and Function of the Genital Membrane

Abstract

We found that the genitalia of the male cricket Gryllus bimaculatus are equipped with an autocleaning system. The cricket keeps its genitalia clean by removing foreign matter and endogenous waste. Morphological study showed that the membrane complex consists of a median pouch and a genital chamber floor covered by small scales, each of which has a base of approximately 10 μm in width and a fringe with 5-10 spines 3-20 μm in length. The scales are arranged symmetrically about the midline, curving gradually in the lateral direction and continuing to the lateral pouch serving as a trash container. Observation of cleaning revealed that a small piece of artificial dirt placed on the membrane complex was conveyed over a distance of 1.3 mm to the lateral pouch in 12 minutes. Inspection of the dorsal pouch just after spermatophore extrusion in the mating stage revealed that there were patchy remnants of spermatophore material on the inner surface of the pouch, but that these were evacuated in a few minutes. Surgical elimination of the median pouch caused the formation of abnormal spermatophores with the sperm tube and attachment plate being deformed. These results suggest that genital autocleaning is indispensable for the production of a normal spermatophore in the male cricket.