REPRODUCTION IN INSECTS
− The reproductive system is divided in to two parts namely, internal genitalia
and
− external genitalia.
− The internal genitalia serve to the development of germ cells. The external
genitalia
accomplish the union of two sexes and enable the female to deposit eggs.
Female reproductive system
− The main functions of the female reproductive system are egg production and
storage of male's spermatozoa until the eggs are ready to be fertilized.
− It consists of;
− A pair of ovaries which possess number of ovarioles,
− A pair of oviducts,
− A common oviduct / Median oviduct,
− spermatheca,
− A pair of accessory glands and
− Bursa copulatrix/copulatory pouch/genital chamber/vagina
Fig.1: Female reproductive system
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1. Ovaries:
− These are the prominent visceral organs present on the either side of alimentary
canal.
− These are paired in structured mainly covered with fat body and trachea.
− Each ovary consists of eight ovarioles or egg tubes.
− It consists of 3 parts namely;
i. Terminal filament,
ii. Egg tube,
iii. Pedicel.
-The functions of ovary are production of eggs or ova and storage of male's
spermatozoa.
Types of ovarioles: -
-Based on the presence or absence of nutritive cells and their location ovarioles
are categorized in to two;
i. Panoistic - In these, the nutritive cells are absent. e.g.: Odonata, Dictyoptera,
Orthoptera and Ephemeroptera
ii. Meriostic - They contain trophocytes / nutritive cells which vary in their
position.
-Based on the position of trophocytes Meriostic ovarioles are
classified into;
i. Polytrophic - e.g.: Mecoptera, Dermaptera, Psocoptera
ii. Acrotrophic (Teletrophic) - e.g.: Hemiptera and Coleoptera
2. Lateral oviducts: Proximal end of the ovarioles of each ovary join to form a
lateral
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oviduct on each side. Function is to transfer the eggs form ovary to the median
oviduct.
3. Median Oviduct: Two lateral oviducts combine to form a median oviduct.
4. Vagina: (genital chamber) Median duct opens in to a tubular genital chamber or
vagina
formed by invagination of body wall from VIII segment.
5. Bursa Copulatrix:
-In some insects the genital chamber or vagina develops a separate pouch called
Bursa Copulatrix in to which insects have two reproductive openings
-One is vulva for receiving the sperms open on VIII sternum and another one is
ovipore or gonopore on IX segment for discharging eggs. E.g.: Lepidoptera and
water beetles.
6. Spermatheca:
− It is a sac like structure consisting of a spermathecal gland and opens in to vagina
through spermathecal duct.
− This is mainly used for temporary storage of sperms.
− It also produces some fluids responsible for longevity of sperms cells for several
hours.
7. Accessory glands: (collateral glands)
− These are a pair structured which open in to the distal portion of vagina.
− They secrete the sticky substance responsible for the formation of ootheca of
− cockroach, preying mantid and poisonous secretions in case of Hymenoptera.
− These sticky substances are useful for attachment of egg to the substrate on
which they are laid.
− Oogenesis-The process in which primary oocyte developed in to fully developed
ova is called oogenesis.
Difference between male and female reproductive system
Male reproductive system
➢ The main functions of the male reproductive system are the production and storage of
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spermatozoa and their transport in a viable state to the reproductive tract of the
female.
A male reproductive organ consists of;
✓ A pair of testes composed of follicles or sperm tubes
✓ A pair of vasa deferens,
✓ seminal vesicle
✓ ejaculatory duct
✓ accessory glands
✓ Genitalia.
1. Testes:
− These are paired in structured &lie in visceral cavity above the alimentary canal.
− Each testes are well supplied with trachea and fat body tissues.
− Each testis consists of number of oval shaped structures known as follicles or
sperm tubes.
− Each follicle has a layer of epithelial cells.
− The entire follicle is covered by a peritoneal membrane whereas the testes are
− completely enveloped within a coat known as scrotum.
− The functions of testes are production and storage of spermatozoa.
2. Vasa differentia:
− These are the long tubes formed by the union of vasa efferens which receives
the sperms from testis and allow their transport to the ejaculatory duct.
3. Seminal vesicles:
-Each vas deferens becomes enlarged posteriorly to form a sac like structure called
seminal vesicle for storage of spermatozoa for some time.
4. Ejaculatory duct:
− Both the vasa deferens of the two testes unites posteriorly to form a common
median ejaculatory duct.
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− The terminal section of ejaculatory duct is enclosed in a finger like invagination
of body wall called male copulatory organ or aedeagus or penis.
− The function of aedeagus is that ejaculate the spermatozoa into the female
genital tract.
5. Accessory glands:
− These are 1-3 pairs of glands which open in to the ejaculatory duct
− In most cases their secretion mixes with spermatozoa.
− These glands are called mushroom glands in cockroaches and mantid because
of their appearance as mushrooms.
− This secretion facilitates sperm transmission from male to female.
− Types of Reproduction
Oviparity:
− Insects reproduce by laying eggs by the female which later hatch and produce
the young ones. e.g.: moths and butterflies. (Higher order insect)
Viviparity:
− It is the phenomenon of reproduction where the female gives birth to the
young ones instead of laying eggs.
− Viviparity is classified in to 4 types.
(i).Ovo-viviparity:
-Insects retain the eggs within the genital track until the eggs are ready to
hatch (or) giving birth to young ones. e.g.: Thysanoptera (Thrips)
(ii) Adenoparous viviparity:
-It is a type of viviparity where the eggs have sufficient yolk, complete their
embryonic development and retain in the uterus.
-Eggs hatch and the young ones get nourishment from special nourishment glands
called milk glands.
(iii) Pseudoplacental viviparity:
-It is a phenomenon where insect have eggs with little (or) no yolk.
-Hatching takes place within the mother and the nourishment for the young one
is received through embryonic maternal structure called pseudoplacenta e.g.:
Psocoptera, Dermaptera,aphids etc.
(iv) Haemocoelous viviparity:
-It is a type of reproduction where the eggs are retained within the haemocoel
and the embryonic development as well as the nourishment of young one takes
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place through the transfer of nutrients from the haemolymph of mother. e.g:
strepsipterans & some larvae of cecidomyids (Diptera).
Parthenogenesis:
− It is the ability of the females to reproduce without fertilization / copulation
with males.
− This usually occurs due to the genetic characters, due to heredity, failure in
finding a mate, hormonal changes within the body and weather factors. . e.g.:
aphids.
Paedogenesis (or) Neoteny:
− It is a phenomenon where the immature insects or stages give birth to young
ones.
− This usually occurs due to the hormonal imbalance.
− Most of the insects which reproduce by paedogenesis also reproduce by
parthenogenesis. e.g.: cecidomyids.(Mustad sawfly).
Polyembryony:
-It is a type of reproduction where insects reproduce by giving birth to two or
more young ones instead of a single one, as two or more embryos are produced
from a single egg. e.g.: endoparasitic Hymenoptera like platygaster.
Hermaphroditism:
− It is a type of reproduction where both male and female gonads are present in
the same individual.
− It may be a functional hermaphroditism as in case of Icerya purchsi (scale
insect) (or) nonfunctional as in case of stonefly, Perla marginata.
Castration:
− It is a type of reproduction where the separation of the individuals occurs mainly
due to the development of the reproductive organs.
− The insects with well-developed ovaries develop in to females (queens), the
insects with well-developed testis develop in to males (drones) and insects with
underdeveloped ovaries develop in to workers.e.g.: social insects such as honey
bees.
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