Revue Suisse de Zoology V112-1 2005

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U I^ES' de la J SOCIÉTÉ SUISSE DE ZOOLOGIE et du MUSÉUM de la Ville tome D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE de Genève N LU û 1 fascicule 2005 oUJ o(/5 Sc/5 O °7) — ÏLU J ID :> -LU M GENÈVE MARS 2005 ISSN 0035 - 41 X c-n bvi REVUE SUISSE DE ZOOLOGIE TOME 112—FASCICULE Publication subventionnée par: Académie suisse des Sciences naturelles (SCNAT) Ville de Genève Société suisse de Zoologie VOLKER MAHNERT Directeur du Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève CHARLES LIENHARD Chargé de recherche au Comité de Il d'histoire naturelle de Genève lecture est constitué Muséum Muséum en outre du président de de Genève et la Société suisse de Zoologie, du directeur du de représentants des instituts de zoologie des universités suisses Les manuscrits sont soumis des experts d'institutions suisses ou étrangères selon le sujet étudié La préférence graphie, sera donnée aux travaux concernant les domaines suivants: biogéo- systématique, évolution, écologie, éthologie, morphologie et anatomie comparée, physiologie Administration MUSÉUM D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE 1211 GENÈVE Internet: http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/rnhng/page/rsz.htm Prix de l'abonnement: SUISSE Fr 225.— UNION POSTALE Fr 230.- (en francs suisses) Les demandes d'abonnement doivent être adressées la rédaction de la Revue suisse de Zoologie, Muséum d'histoire naturelle C.P 6434, CH-1211 Genève 6, Suisse LU o o o o N LU û ANNALES de la SOCIÉTÉ SUISSE DE et du MUSÉUM de ZOOLOGIE la Ville tome D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE de Genève 12 fascicule 2005 S LU oc/5 O — ï LU ^1 CD Jel GENEVE MARS 2005 ISSN 0035 -418 X LU REVUE SUISSE DE ZOOLOGIE TOME 112-FASCICULE Publication subventionnée par: Académie suisse des Sciences naturelles (SCNAT) Ville de Genève Société suisse de Zoologie VOLKER MAHNERT Directeur du Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève CHARLES LIENHARD Chargé de recherche au Comité de Il Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève lecture en outre du président de est constitué Muséum de Genève et la Société suisse de représentants des instituts de Zoologie, du directeur du de zoologie des universités suisses Les manuscrits sont soumis des experts d'institutions suisses ou étrangères selon le sujet étudié La préférence graphie, sera donnée aux travaux concernant les domaines suivants: biogéo- systématique, évolution, écologie, éthologie, morphologie et anatomie comparée, physiologie Administration MUSÉUM D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE 1211 GENÈVE Internet: http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo mhng page, rsz htm Prlx de l'abonnement: SUISSE Fr 225 - UNION POSTALE Fr 230 (en francs suisses) Les demandes d'abonnement doivent être adressées la rédaction de la Revue suisse de Zoologie, Muséum d'histoire naturelle, C.P 6434, CH-1211 Genève 6, Suisse - Revue suisse de Zoologie 112 (1): 3-11; mars 2005 Evidence of spermatophores in Cyphophthalmi (Arachnida, Opiliones) Ivo M K ARAM AN Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, Trg D Obradovica 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro E-mail: karaman@ib.ns.ac.yu Evidence of spermatophores in Cyphophthalmi (Arachnida, Opiliones) - A spermatophore in Opiliones is for the first time observed and described from a specimen of Cyphophthalmus serbicus (Hadzi, 1973), here transferred from Siro Insemination by means of spermatophores seems typical for some groups of the Cyphophthalmi, the most primitive and the least species-rich suborder in the order Opiliones Primitive but complex insemination by spermatophores was retained in this group, which is adapted to a cryptozoic way of life, where this mating strategy is still functional This paper presents a hypothesis on the possible significance of a number of characteristic traits in Cyphophthalmi, which presumably have some function for insemination via spermatophores Keywords: Opiliones - Cyphophthalmi functional anatomy - Balkan - spermatophores - sperm transfer - INTRODUCTION The Cyphophthalmi is a rare and not well studied group of small cryptobiotic They are present on almost all continents, with discontinuous distribution patterns and high degrees of endemism and with 113 known species (Giribet, 2000) animals Although Juberthie (1960, 1961, 1965, 1967) explained many aspects of biology and anatomy of Cyphophthalmi using Siro rubens Latreille, 1804 as an example, function and significance of many specific characters are still penis and ovipositor, and copulation as a direct differential characteristics not understood way of The presence of insemination are used as of the order Opiliones (Martens, 1976) Dogmatic influence of this widely accepted concept led numerous authors to neglect the assumption that insemination in Cyphophthalmi in turn explain the function First speculations is through deposition of spermatophores, which could of certain characters on spermatophore production in Cyphophthalmi were pre- sented by Forster in his thesis {vide Juberthie, 1965; Savory, 1977; Shear, 1980) Forster (1948, 1952) conducted extensive and detailed faunistic and taxonomic research on Cyphophthalmi in important trait New Zealand and was able to notice this extremely Unfortunately, Forster's observations and assumptions were not Manuscript accepted 03.06.2004 I M KARAMAN accepted, with other authors being skeptical (Juberthie, 1965; Shear, 1980), or ignoring them entirely However, the possibility that tophores was not ruled out (Juberthie Cyphophthalmi might indeed form sperma- & Manier, 1978; Martens, 1978) Regarding the Hammen (1985) assumed its function to be and used the appropriate term, spermatopositor penis anatomy in Cyphophthalmi, van der deposition of spermatophores However, he did not give any further explanation and can be assumed that it this was the manifestation of adopting Forster's assumption In his attempts to separate the Cyphophthalmi from the other Opiliones, Savory (1977) was the only one to point out importance of Forster's findings and used them as a unique key trait of Cyphophthalmi to support his ideas (Savory's hypothesis was that Cyphophthalmi is the an ancestral group of the remaining Opiliones and of the Ricinulei, and he suggested comprise an order of their own; that they the exception of some differential this traits that has been refused by other authors) With comprise a complex reproductive mecha- nism, there are indeed few characters which are not essentially opilionid characters (van der Hammen, 1985) In that respect, this paper has no ambition to discuss specu- lations about the phylogenetic position of Cyphophthalmi Studying and collecting Balkan sironids for a number of years led to the discovery of an important in Cyphophthalmi is trait which supports Forster's assumption who had circumstantial evidence matophores, my that sperm accomplished by means of spermatophores In contrast evidence is (Shear, 1980) and only assumed an actual spermatophore attached transfer to Forster, the existence of sper- to a female specimen Except for the morphological description of the spermatophore (no histological are given since this to is the only complete sample available to date) and an ovipositor, the rest of this paper is its details attachment of speculative nature, relying on available facts and logical reasoning Researchers collecting Cyphophthalmi know find them, while the collecting technique itself (soil and litter how hard it is to sieving) further signifi- cantly decreases the probability of finding a female with an attached spermatophore After twenty years of research and with over 1000 specimens collected, only two females have been found with spermatophores attached Therefore, and in spite of the scarcity of information, I have decided to publish these findings MATERIAL AND METHODS Material: female Cyphophthalmus serbicus (Hadzi, 1973) comb, n Serbia, : Svrljiske planine Mts., above village Crnoljevica 14.07.1989 leg I I female Cyphophthalmus sp 1.: I Karaman Serbia, Mt Zlatibor, Sargan, 14.06.1991, leg Karaman 2.: Montenegro, Danilovgrad, Milovicka Karaman Methods: The material was preserved in 70% ethanol Details of the spermatophore were observed and photographed in glycerine (LM microphotographs) SEM II females of Cyphophthalmus sp vrela, 26.04.1997, leg I All known Balkan Cyphophthalmi belong to one genus (resurrected genus Cyphophthalmus Joseph, 1868) which is not closely related to the genus Siro Latreille 1796 (Karaman, in prep.) To avoid possible later confusion, I decided to use the correct generic name for the species included in this paper SPERMATOPHORES CYPHOPHTHALMI IN SCD005 photographs of material prepared in a Baltec Sputter Coater (ovipositors where frozen before) were made with a JEOL-JSM-64601v vacuum SEM microscope in high RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Figure found in my matophore in an shows a female of C serbicus with an attached spermatophore as it was where the specimen was kept for more than 10 years The sperballoon-like in shape (Fig A) and extends into a tube which ends freely collection is amorphous mass that is well attached to the basal parts of the terminal lobes of the ovipositor Entrances to receptacula seminis are widely illustrates how the spermatophore of Cyphophthalmus sp spermatophore on collected on the this is Not understanding its importance in specimen was regrettably cut off and same occasion were and thus the importance of this remained attached detail my (Fig 2C) Figure first finds of a new my Specimens species of Cyphophthalmi, was overlooked The tubular appendage, however, spermatophore tube in Cyphophthalmus differ considerably sp is The spermatophore in external layer of the twice as wide and more transparent (almost membrane-like) than in C serbicus, where 4A, C) (terminal 2B earlier studies, the lost later on to the ovipositor Interestingly, the tubular parts of C serbicus and Cyphophthalmus sp brittle (Fig opened attached to the female ovipositor in the specimen part missing probably it is due amber in colour and appears to this fragility) These two species are phylogenetically distant (based on yet unpublished data) A globular rical contents structure which is visible inside the spermatophore (Fig 4B), with sphe- likely are encapsulated sperm mm) The dimensions of the individual sperm described by Juberthie (1965) However, the diameter of the spermatophore tube is //m (Fig 4C), which is too narrow for the encapsulated sperm to pass through, nor can the opening spheres (30-45 are in accordance with the encapsulated of the receptaculum seminis («* 15 /