The spermatophore of the black field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus (Walker, 1869) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) – a stereoscopic investigation

Abstract

The contribution includes the detailed investigation of the spermatophore produced by the male black field cricket with the help of stereoscopic visualization techniques. For this purpose, sperm capsules of selected crickets were isolated and prepared for light- and electronmicroscopic analysis. Production of stereoscopic semi-images and red-cyan anaglyphs was carried out by application of the formerly introduced object rotation method and, alternatively, by use of computer-aided object depth mapping (ODM), where three-dimensional information is obtained from a single photograph. As found by stereoscopic imaging, the spermatophore of the black field cricket consists of a spherical ampulla with a diameter of 0.5 mm, a tube measuring up to 3.5 mm in length, and an anchor plate serving for the fixation of the capsule at the aperture of the female genital chamber during copulation. Single spermatozoa are characterized by an organized arrangement within the ampulla, so that their release from the sperm vessel is significantly facilitated. The study clearly demonstrates that spatial imaging is not only useful for the purpose of presentation, but also for a more detailed analysis of diverse insect structures.