Large sperm-bundles in Homoptera insects

在一些昆虫物种中，精子在精子发生后被捆绑在一起，从而转移到雌性身上。这样一束精子的功能尚不清楚。本研究对同翅目蝉形亚目蝉形亚目29种和翅形亚目12种的精子进行了观察。蝉科、Aphropholidae科和蝉科的精子在其尖端附着在绳状或棒状的透明物质上并形成大束；然而，其他家族的精子却没有。精束的透明物质经胰蛋白酶处理后被消化，表明它是蛋白质。转移到雌性体内的精子束在性交囊（接受射精的器官）中分解；在这里，精子从束中释放出来，进入精子囊（精子储存器官）。结合精子的物质最终被消化并消失在囊内。因此，结合精子的大物质可能是蝉科、蚜科和蝉科雄性对雌性的一种营养投入。

In some insect species, sperm are bundled after spermatogenesis and so transferred to the female. The function of such a bundle of sperm remains unknown. In this study, sperm of 29 species of Cicadomorpha and 12 species of Fulgoromorpha belonging to the infraorder Auchenorrhyncha (Homoptera) were observed. Sperm in the families Cicadidae, Aphropholidae and Cicadellidae attached at their tips to a rope- or rod-like hyaline material and form large bundles; however, sperm of the other families did not. The hyaline material of the sperm-bundles was digested with trypsin treatment, suggesting it proteinous. Sperm-bundles transferred to the female were broken down in a bursa copulatrix (ejaculate receiving organ) ; where sperm were released from the bundles and removed into a spermatheca (sperm storage organ). The material binding sperm were finally digested and disappeared in the bursa. The large material binding sperm is, therefore, a possible nutrient investiment from the male to the female in Cicadidae, Aphropholidae and Cicadellidae.