Studies on the male accessory reproductive glands and the spermatophore of the tick,Argas persicusOken

Abstract

1. The spermatophore of the argasid tickArgas persicus, is a sac enclosing a mass of sperm and a number of other structures which are rapidly extruded into the vagina of the female tick during copulation.2. During copulation the first part of the contents of the spermatophore to be extruded consists of a clear tip with two lateral semi-opaque areas surrounded by white borders and a mass of opaque white material followed by the sperm.3. The male accessory reproductive gland is redescribed. It consists of a stem portion which gives off: dorsally, the unpaired anterior dorsal granular lobe and the paired posterior dorsal and third lateral granular lobes; the small paired second lateral granular lobes from the mid-region; ventrally, the small unpaired median granular lobe and the large paired first lateral granular lobes and, opening into the ejaculatory duct, the small, paired anterior and posterior spongy lobes.4. The anterior and posterior spongy lobes secrete an acid mucopolysaccharide which thinly coats the spermatophore.5. The median granular lobe secretes a phospholipoprotein rich in phenolic groups and a polyphenol oxidase.6. The first lateral granular lobes secrete a basic protein which interacts with the secretions of the median granular lobe to form the main wall of the spermatophore.7. The second lateral granular lobes secrete the tenuous mucoprotein membrane which surrounds the sperm mass within the spermatophore and also the large protein granules which adhere to the inner surface of this membrane.8. The third lateral granular lobe secretes the mass of opaque, white material in the spermatophore; possibly this is pharmacologically active and analogous to the secretion of the opaque glands ofRhodnius.9. The posterior dorsal granular lobes secrete a non-specific esterase at their tip and a protein in the mid-region; these form, respectively, the lateral semi-opaque areas and their white borders in the spermatophore.10. The anterior dorsal granular lobe secretes an acid mucopolysaccharideprotein complex which forms the clear tip of the extruded contents of the spermatophore.