Structural and ultrastructural characters of the reproductive tract in females of the mint leaf beetle Chrysolina herbacea (Duftschmid 1825) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract

In this study, Chrysolina herbacea female reproductive system, differentiating stages of vitellogenesis, the egg chorion are examined with light and scanning electron microscopies. C. herbacea is chosen for this study because it is considered to be one of the most harmful insects that destroy mint plants, and it is an agricultural pest. Female reproductive system consists of a pair of ovaries, a pair of lateral oviducts, a common oviduct, spermathecae and a genital chamber. The ovary has 18 meroistic telotrophic ovariole. Each ovariole is divided into four regions: terminal filament, germarium, vitellarium and pedicel. Terminal filament is a long tubular structure. Germarium contains trophocytes (nurse cells), young oocytes and prefollicular cells. Vitellarium consists differentiating oogenic stages including developmental periods of previtellogenesis, vitellogenesis and choriogenesis. The ovarioles open into lateral oviduct by pedicel. The single spermatheca is located near the base of the common oviduct. Spermathecae consist of spermathecae reservoir for sperm storage and a short spermathecae duct. C. herbacea eggs are yellow and elongated. The structure of female reproductive system, the egg chorion and larva of C. herbacea are important to understand the outbreak of this insect pest and to biological control this harmful species.

The Female Reproductive System Structure of Isotomus speciosus (Schneider, 1787) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and Mylabris cernyi Pan & Bologna, 2014 (Coleoptera: Meloidae)-Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy Studies

“…In M. cernyi and I. speciosus, a spermatheca and a bursa copulatrix are seen around the common oviduct, as in Capnodis tenebrionis (Linnaeus, 1761) (Buprestidae) (Özyurt Koçakoğlu et al, 2022b). However, some species have only spermatheca and there is no bursa copulatrix, as in Tenuisvalvae notata (Mulsant, 1850) (Coccinellidae), C. populi (Chrysomelidae), and C. herbacea (Chrysomelidae) (Túler et al 2018;Özyurt Koçakoğlu et al, 2021Özyurt Koçakoğlu et al, , 2022a.…”

“…The anatomical and histological features of these structures may differ interspeci cally. This situation is important in the systematic, phylogenetic, and reproductive biology of different species (Gerber et al, 1971;Stringer, 1988 Özyurt Koçakoğlu et al, 2021Koçakoğlu et al, , 2022a.…”

Morphology of female reproductive system of Mediterranean flatheaded peachborer, Capnodis tenebrionis (Linnaeus, 1761) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

“…Similar structures were also seen in most coleopteran species (El Naggar et al, 2010; Gardner, 1986; Malekpour et al, 2010; Nasserzadeh et al, 2005; Stringer, 1988). However, bursa copulatrix is not seen in the female reproductive system of Phaedon brassicae Baly (Chrysomelidae), Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 (Chrysomelidae), and Chrysolina herbacea (Duftschmid 1825) (Chrysomelidae) (Özyurt Koçakoğlu et al, 2021a, 2021b; Wang et al, 2007). The similarities and differences between insects depend on the phylogeny of the species.…”

“…But, the number of oocytes in the vitelarium of each ovary can vary in different species. The vitellarium in C. tenebrionis has 3–4 oocytes, as in C. herbacea (Chrysomelidae) (Özyurt Koçakoğlu et al, 2021a). There is an oocyte in Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Dryophthoridae) vitellarium (Wan Nurul 'Ain et al, 2018).…”

“…In vitellogenic oocyte of C. tenebrionis , there are intercellular spaces between follicle cells, as like in Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Polistes simillimus Zikan, 1951 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and Podisus nigrispinus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) (Assis et al, 2019; Dohanik et al, 2018). The enlargement of intercellular space in follicular epithelium shows an increase in yolk transition (vitellogenin) from the haemolymph (Assis et al, 2019; Özyurt Koçakoğlu et al, 2021a, 2021b).…”