Morphology and Ultrastructure of the Accessory Glands in the Female Genital Tract of the House Cricket,Acheta domesticus

Abstract

The accessory glands in the genital tract of female Acheta domesticus L. (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) were investigated in detail. The glands are situated within the 7th and 8th abdominal segment and lead to the genital chamber lateral to the terminal papilla of the ductus receptaculi. The shape of the gland is characterized by a complex system of tubules, including numerous ramifications. The gland's size ranges from 2 to 4 mm. The epithelium is constructed according to a simple scheme and consists of a cuticular intima at the luminal side, one layer of gland cells, and a basallamina at the outermost side. The observed morphology of the accessory glands widely corresponds with that in other cricket species (e.g., Teleogryllus commodus). This is also true for the structure of a single gland cell, which can be subdivided into a basal part with nucleus and intracellular cisternae, as well as an apical part with all those compartments responsible for the production of the secretion. The secretion itself may be classified as lipophilic and is produced for the first time 4 to 6 days after the imaginai moult. Several endogenic functions of the secretion are discussed (lubricant for oviposition, support for introducing the tube of the spermatophore into the ductus receptaculi, etc.).

Gross morphology and ultrastructure of the female reproductive system of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae)

“…The mature ovaries of this species, in which the ovarioles lack a functional terminal filament, are similar to those of some Aphidomorpha and Aleyrodomorpha (BÜNING 1985, SZKLARZEWICZ & MOSKAL 2001. However, the types and localization of the accessory structures are variable from previously studied species (LOCOCO & HUBNER 1980, STACCONI & ROMANI 2011, STURM 2012, MA et al 2013. The occurrence and location of accessory structures may differ among species as they are highly specialized secretory organs involved in the synthesis of molecules related to several aspects of reproduction (sperm storage and nourishment, egg laying, among others).…”

Comparative Morphology and Histochemistry of the Colleterial Glands in Different-Aged Females of <em>Coptotermes gestroi </em>(Blattaria, Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

“…In Bombyx mori, for example, the colleterial glands secrete a viscous compound containing mainly by water, but also proteins and polysaccharides [16]. In other groups such as grasshoppers and crickets [17][18], proteins and lipids are secreted by these structures. The protective function of the colleterial glands also includes the synthesis of the different compounds which ultimately results in the hardened ootheca of some cockroaches [6,19] and on the secretion of antibacterial proteins [20][21].…”

The Ovariol Morphology and Ultrastructure of Poecilimon ataturki Ünal, 1999 (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) and the Histochemical Features of the Yolk Granules

“…This mucous material is secreted by the activity of the female reproductive gland. Likewise, the female reproductive glands have some duties on showing antibacterial properties, carrying sperms into the spermatheca, and producing some materials of the egg chorion (Gaino & Fava, 1995;Sturm, 2012;Masci et al, 2015;Gnatzy et al, 2018).…”

“…Each ovary continues with a canal called a lateral oviduct where the mature egg moves forward to be left out and the lateral oviducts come together to form a common oviduct of ectodermal origin (Viscuso et al, 1999;Lange, 2009;Klowden, 2013;Pappalardo et al, 2016). Besides all these main reproductive organs such as spermatheca (receptaculum seminis) and reproductive glands, there are some other auxiliary structures that help reproduction in female insects which play a role in transfer and protection of the gametes (Nandchahal, 1972;Giuffrida et al, 1996;Sturm & Pohlhammer, 2000;Lange, 2009;Brundo et al, 2011;Sturm, 2012;Masci et al, 2015;Pappalardo et al, 2016).…”