The development of the copulatory organs (gonopods) of a spiroboloid milliped

✍ Scribed by Michael W. Berns

• Book ID: 102902680
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1968
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 627 KB
• Volume: 126
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0362-2525
• DOI: 10.1002/jmor.1051260406

✦ Synopsis

In the spiroboloid millipeds the male gonopods develop from rudiments of both pairs of legs of the seventh body segment. They are first evident as "lumps" on the sternum of the seventh segment following the molt to instar 5; they replace the functional walking legs of the seventh segment of earlier instars. These "lumps" go through progressive morphological changes in each instar until they attain the adult form. It is evident that in the spiroboloid millipeds the gonopods do not develop as a gradual modification of functional walking legs; rather they pass through a progressive growth and differentiation of their own.