Pseudocopulation

Pseudocopulation

Pseudocopulation describes behaviors similar to copulation that serve a reproductive function for one or both participants but do not involve actual sexual union between the individuals. It is most generally applied to a pollinator attempting to copulate with a flower. Some flowers mimic a potential female mate visually, but the key stimuli are often chemical and tactile.van der Pijl, L., Dodson, C. H. (1966) "Orchid Flowers; Their Pollination and Evolution". Coral Gables, FL: Univ. Miami Press] This form of mimicry in plants has been titled "Pouyannian mimicry".Pasteur, Georges (1982). “A classificatory review of mimicry systems”. "Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics" 13: 169–199.] Orchids commonly achieve reproduction in this manner, secreting chemicals from glands called osmophores located in the sepals, petals, or labellum, that are indistinguishable from the insect's natural pheromones. The pollinator then has a pollinia attached to its body, which it transfers to the stigma of another flower when if it attempts another 'copulation'. Pollinators are often bees and wasps of the order Hymenoptera, and flies.

Pseudocopulation is also used to describe close physical contact between mating animals which have their eggs externally fertilized. Frogs provide one such case, with the male releasing sperm as the female discharges her eggs. [pseudocopulation. (2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved October 19, 2007, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9061690]

ee also

*Parthenogenesis

References

External links

[http://culturesheet.org/articles:pseudo-copulation_in_terrestrial_orchids Pollination through Pseudo Copulation] at The Culture Sheet


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • pseudocopulation — pseudocopulation. См. псевдокопуляция. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • pseudocopulation — ▪ biology       the action of a male insect, such as a bee, wasp, or fly, that tries to mate with a flower whose parts resemble those of a female insect of the same species as the male. Masses of pollen become attached to the male insect during… …   Universalium

  • pseudocopulation — n. [Gr. pseudos, false; L. copula, bond] (ARTHROPODA: Insecta) Pollinization of a flower by copulation of a male insect mistakenly recognizing it as a female insect …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • pseudocopulation — noun a) Any of various processes, amongst diverse animals, in which male gametes are passed from one individual to another b) The process by which an insect (such as a bee) attempts to mate with a flower (such as an orchid) that mimics a female… …   Wiktionary

  • pseudocopulation — pseu·do·cop·u·la·tion (soo″do cop″u laґshən) exchange of gametes by close contact between male and female but without intromission, as in frogs …   Medical dictionary

  • pseudocopulation — pseu·do·copulation …   English syllables

  • pseudocopulation — /ˌsjudoʊkɒpjəˈleɪʃən/ (say .syoohdohkopyuh layshuhn) noun the pollination of those species of orchid whose flowers resemble female wasps by the male ichneumon wasp …  

  • pseudocopulation — “+ noun Etymology: pseud + copulation : close association of individuals of opposite sex for the bringing together (as in the amplexus of a frog) of the eggs and sperm without actual intromission …   Useful english dictionary

  • псевдокопуляция — pseudocopulation псевдокопуляция. Имитация процесса копуляции между самцом насекомого, привлекаемого цветками некоторых растений (тропические орхидеи), и структурой, напоминающей “самку”, образуемую этими цветками; П. рассматривают как пример… …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • Mimicry — For other uses, see Mimic (disambiguation). Plate from Henry Walter Bates (1862) illustrating Batesian mimicry between Dismorphia species (top row, third row) and various Ithomiini (Nymphalidae, second row, bottom row) In …   Wikipedia

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