Supporting Data for: Seminal fluid enhances sperm viability in the leafcutter ant Atta colombica

Version 1.0
den Boer, Susanne P. A.; Baer, Boris; Boomsma, Jacobus, 2025, "Supporting Data for: Seminal fluid enhances sperm viability in the leafcutter ant Atta colombica", https://doi.org/10.60612/DATADK/UNIANS, DeiC Dataverse, V1
Use the provided citation text whenever referencing this Dataset.
Contact Share
Dataset Metrics
20 Downloads
Description
The seminal fluid that accompanies sperm in ejaculates has been shown or suggested to affect sperm competition and paternity success of insects by preventing female remating, inducing oviposition, and forming mating plugs. In Atta leafcutter ants, queens have multiple mates but never remate later in life, although they may live and produce fertilized eggs for several decades. The mating biology and life history of these ants therefore suggests that the major function of seminal fluid is to maximize sperm viability during copulation, sperm transfer, and initial sperm storage. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the viability of testis sperm and ejaculated sperm (mixed with seminal fluid) and found a significant positive effect of seminal fluid on sperm viability. We further quantified this positive effect by adding accessory gland secretion (a major component of seminal fluid) in a dilution series, to show that minute quantities of accessory gland secretion achieve significant increases in sperm viability. Sperm stored by queens for 1 year benefited in a similar way from being exposed to accessory gland compounds after dissection in control saline solution. Our results provide the first empirical evidence that seminal fluid is important for the production of viable ejaculates and that the accessory glands of Atta males -despite their small size-are functional and produce a very potent secretion.
Subject Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Keyword social insects, mating, sperm storage, sperm transfer, spermatheca, accessory glands, leafcutter ants, sexual selection, paternity success, sperm viability
Related Publication Den Boer et al. (2008). Seminal fluid enhances sperm viability in the leafcutter ant Atta colombica. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 62:1843–1849.doi: 10.1007/s00265-008-0613-5
Notes Paper published in Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology back in 2008, without associated data. Associated data uploaded to Dataverse in 2024.
License / Terms and Conditions for Reuse

CC BY 4.0

Filter by
1 to 4 of 4 Files
2006-SpermViabilityAtta-ATvsEJ-SdB.xlsx
MS Excel Spreadsheet - 15.3 KB
Published Feb 28, 2025
5 Downloads
SHA256: cdabf33da767636f11c35de616435463544c0785f7df0c7c3edbdb4068373bf1
Data in this file show sperm viability in samples collected from ejaculates of males vs. samples directly dissected from the sperm holding organ of males, the accessory testes (AT).
2006-SpermViabilityAtta-ConcentrationAGvsSP-SdB.xlsx
MS Excel Spreadsheet - 15.5 KB
Published Feb 28, 2025
5 Downloads
SHA256: a255b1b8ef33aad2d91ebd35d95dba91fe8457ecbcf97fa3f8d6d0c76b04cc6f
Data in this file show sperm viability in response to various dilutions of male accessory gland fluid in sperm dissected from the male AT vs. the queens' sperm storage organ the spermatheca.
2007-SpermViabilityAtta-Concentration0vs1Q-SdB.xlsx
MS Excel Spreadsheet - 15.3 KB
Published Feb 28, 2025
5 Downloads
SHA256: 4081d6f785dd57babace82d63a6916080befa497e540bfc11e0e2f4b4c12bce5
Data in this file show sperm viability in response to various dilutions of male accessory gland fluid in sperm dissected from queens' spermatheca in newly founded queens vs. 1 year old queens.
Susanne den Boer__Seminal fluid enhances sperm viability Atta_Readme.txt
Plain Text - 8.9 KB
Published Feb 28, 2025
5 Downloads
SHA256: 448c25a263bbd75ca5e3fb3849a145bfc3fa309f2d822a2f625118df8da6417e
ReadMe file explaining the files in this data set.
Preview "Susanne den Boer__Seminal fluid enhances sperm viability Atta_Readme.txt"
Edit File

This file has already been deleted (or replaced) in the current version. It may not be edited.

Restrict Access

Restricting limits access to files in published Datasets. You may allow other registered users to request access to these files. Access to files should only be restricted for very good reasons, since this may counteract publishing the Dataset in DeiC Dataverse. Proceed only when you are sure that you know what you are doing and contact the local support at your university for assistance.If you disable access request, you must describe the Terms for Access to Restricted Files.

For more information on how to apply and manage access restrictions to files in a Dataset, see the DeiC Dataverse User Guide.

Enable Access Request
You must enable Request Access or describe the Terms of Access for Restricted Files in order to apply access restrictions.
Save Changes
Edit Embargo

The embargo period and/or statement cannot be edited, since the selected file(s) have already been published. Please contact the administrator of the Dataverse Collection.
Edit Retention Period

The retention period and/or statement cannot be edited, since the selected file(s) have already been published. Please contact the DeiC Dataverse administrator.
Delete Files

The file will be deleted after you click on the Delete button.

Files will not be removed from previously published versions of the Dataset.

Select File(s)

Please select one or more files.

Share Dataset

Share this Dataset on your favorite social media networks.

Continue
Dataset Citations

Citations for this dataset are retrieved from Crossref via DataCite using Make Data Count standards. For more information about dataset metrics, please refer to the DeiC Dataverse User Guide.

Sorry, no citations were found.
Inaccessible Files Selected

The selected file(s) may not be downloaded because you have not been granted access or the file(s) have a retention period that has expired or the files can only be transferred via Globus.

You may request access to the restricted file(s) by clicking the Request Access button.

Ineligible Files Selected

The selected file(s) may not be transferred because you have not been granted access or the file(s) have a retention period that has expired or the files are not Globus accessible.

You may request access to the restricted file(s) by clicking the Request Access button.

Download Options

The files selected are too large to download as a ZIP.

You can select individual files that are below the 100.0 MB download limit from the files table, or use the API for programmatic access to the files.

Select File(s)

Please select one or more files for download.

Inaccessible Files Selected

The selected file(s) may not be downloaded because you have not been granted access or the file(s) have a retention period that has expired.

Click Continue to download the files that are accessible to you.

Ineligible Files Selected

Some file(s) cannot be transferred. (They are restricted, embargoed, with an expired retention period, or not Globus accessible.)

Click Continue to transfer the eligible files.

Delete Dataset

Are you sure you want to delete this Dataset and all files? This cannot be undone.

Delete Draft Version

Are you sure you want to delete this draft version of the Dataset inlcuding newly uploaded files? This cannot be undone.

Unpublished Dataset Preview URL

Preview URL can only be used with an unpublished version of a Dataset.

Unpublished Dataset Preview URL

Are you sure you want to disable the Preview URL? If you have shared the Preview URL with others they will no longer be able to use it to access this unpublished version of the Dataset.

Delete Files

The file(s) will be deleted after you click on the Delete button.

Files will not be removed from previously published versions of the Dataset.

Compute

This dataset contains restricted files you may not compute on because you have not been granted access.

Deaccession Dataset

Are you sure you want to deaccession? The selected version(s) will no longer be available to others.

Deaccession Dataset

Are you sure you want to deaccession this dataset? It will no longer be available to others.

Version Differences Details

Please select two versions to view the differences.

Version Differences Details
 
Version:
Last Updated:
Version:
Last Updated:
Select File(s)

Please select one or more files for access request.

Select File(s)

Embargoed files cannot be accessed.

Edit Tags

Select existing file tags or create new tags to describe your files. Each file can have multiple tags.

Request Access

  Access request is only available to registered users. You need to log in to request access.

Terms for Reuse

Please confirm and/or complete the information needed below in order to request access to files in this Dataset.

Please note the following Terms and Conditions for Reuse as defined by the creator(s) of this Dataset.

Please note the following Terms and Conditions for Reuse as defined by the creator(s) of this Dataset.

CC BY 4.0

Preview Guestbook

When downloading files and/or requesting access to restricted files in a published Dataset, the Guestbook asks for the following information:

Account Information

Package File Download

Use the Download URL in a Wget command or a download manager to download this package file. Download via web browser is not recommended.

https://dataverse.deic.dk/api/access/datafile/

Compute Batch
Clear Batch
Dataset Digital Object Identifier Change Compute Batch
Compute Batch
Submit for Review

You will not be able to make changes to this Dataset while it is under review.

Publish Dataset

Are you sure you want to republish this Dataset?

You are about to make this Dataset publically available.

Please reassure that it complies with the common Terms of Use for DeiC Dataverse:
  • The dataset contains research data collected or created as part of research activities at or for one of the Danish universities.
  • Files do not contain personal information.
  • Files and metadata do not contain sensitive or classified information.
  • The creator(s) of the dataset own the rights for publication.
In addition, please verify the following information:
  • The terms and conditions for reuse of this dataset (license).
  • The terms and conditions for access to restricted or closed files, if applicable.
  • The contact information for this dataset.

Select if this is a minor or major version update.

Publish Dataset

This dataset cannot be published until University of Copenhagen is published by its administrator.

Publish Dataset

This Dataset cannot be published until University of Copenhagen and DeiC Dataverse are published.

Return to Author

Return this Dataset to the submitter for modification. The reason for return entered below will be sent by email to the submitter.