SENTENSKÁ, Lenka, Franziska GRABER, Miguel RICHARDS and Christian KROPF. Sexual dimorphism in venom gland morphology in a sexually stinging scorpion. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. Oxford: OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2017, vol. 122, No 2, p. 429-443. ISSN 0024-4066. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blx067.
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Basic information
Original name Sexual dimorphism in venom gland morphology in a sexually stinging scorpion
Authors SENTENSKÁ, Lenka (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Franziska GRABER (756 Switzerland), Miguel RICHARDS (756 Switzerland) and Christian KROPF (756 Switzerland).
Edition Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Oxford, OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2017, 0024-4066.
Other information
Original language English
Type of outcome Article in a journal
Field of Study 10600 1.6 Biological sciences
Country of publisher United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Confidentiality degree is not subject to a state or trade secret
WWW URL
Impact factor Impact factor: 2.532
RIV identification code RIV/00216224:14310/17:00098194
Organization unit Faculty of Science
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blx067
UT WoS 000412186500016
Keywords in English Euscorpius alpha; histology; scorpions; secretory cells; sexual selection; telson; venom variation
Tags NZ, rivok
Tags International impact, Reviewed
Changed by Changed by: Ing. Nicole Zrilić, učo 240776. Changed: 11/4/2018 21:49.
Abstract
Males of several scorpion species possess bigger telsons than females. In at least some of these species, males repeatedly sting females during mating. This behaviour (‘sexual sting’) is likely correlated with a sexual dimorphism in telson and venom gland size. In sync with natural selection theory, females possess bigger venom glands because females need more nutrients for their offspring. Hence, we hypothesize that this sexual dimorphism in venom gland size evolved under sexual selection. We investigated the morphometrics and morphology of male and female telsons and venom glands of the sexually stinging scorpion Euscorpius alpha Caporiacco, 1950 (Euscorpiidae), using light and transmission electron microscopy. Male telsons are significantly bigger and more voluminous than those of females. Varying considerably between sexes, four different kinds of secretory cells are clearly distinguishable.The female secretory epithelium consists mainly of granule-filled cells while that of the males mainly has cells containing dissolvable vesicles. This cell type probably produces transparent venom that has been identified in other scorpions as so-called ‘prevenom’. The role this “pre-venom” plays in sexual sting behaviour is addressed.
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