Histomorophological studies of the female reproductive system of Platynotus punctatipennis (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

✍ Scribed by Ruta R. Inamdar; Dr. P. V. Joshi

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1984
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 725 KB
• Volume: 181
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0362-2525
• DOI: 10.1002/jmor.1051810102

✦ Synopsis

The internal reproductive apparatus of female Platynotus punctatipennis is composed of the paired ovaries, paired lateral oviducts, common oviduct, spermatheca associated with its accessory gland, and a bursa copulatrix. The accessory (colleterial) glands are absent. The ovary is made up of a large number of telotrophic ovarioles which are covered by a double-layered peritoneal sheath. The terminal filament is separated from the germarium by the basement membrane of the latter and consists of a syncytial core surrounded by the peritoneal sheath. Nutritive cords are absent. The pedicel shows highly eosinophilic and PAS-positive secretion of obscure origin. The spermatheca reveals a number of interesting features. It is composed of a pair of sperm-storing tubules, enclosed in a very thin muscle layer. A winecup-like structure, provided with a thick coat of circular muscles, connects the spermathecal gland with thespermathecal duct. Four types of intimal linings occur in the spermatheca and its associated structures. The wine-cup-like connection and four types of intima are entirely new features observed. Histology of the various parts of the reproductive apparatus is described.