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Male genitalia of Lepidoptera. The main component of the male reproductive system is the testicle, suspended in the body cavity by tracheae and the fat body.The more primitive apterygote insects have a single testis, and in some lepidopterans the two maturing testes are secondarily fused into one structure during the later stages of larval development, although the ducts leading from them ...
Some male insects evolved long penises with which they enter the vagina but bypass the female's storage pouch and deposit their sperm further upstream close to the ovaries. A few males, notably among bed bugs, evolved traumatic insemination instead, and eventually this strange procedure became the norm among these insects. [11]
The genitalia are attached onto the tenth or most distal segment of the abdomen. Lepidoptera have some of the most complex genital structures in the insect groups with a wide variety of complex spines, setae, scales and tufts in males, claspers of different shapes and different modifications of the ductus bursae in females. [2] [3]
Maturing rapidly, females breed profusely so that the number of these insects multiplies quickly. Winged females may develop later in the season, allowing the insects to colonize new plants. In temperate regions, a phase of sexual reproduction occurs in the autumn, with the insects often overwintering as eggs.
Scale insects show a very wide range of variations in the genetics of sex determination and the modes of reproduction. Besides sexual reproduction , a number of different forms of reproductive systems are employed, including asexual reproduction by parthenogenesis .
In other insects, females may choose a mate in relation to aspects of his songs. In any case, it is possible that females compare the songs of several males before making a choice. [12] Female calling syndrome occurs when female social insects emit a typical call to the males in close proximity to their natal nests.
[9] [10] [11] This type of reproduction has been induced artificially in a number of animal species that naturally reproduce through sex, including fish, amphibians, and mice. [ 12 ] [ 13 ] Some species reproduce exclusively by parthenogenesis (such as the bdelloid rotifers ), while others can switch between sexual reproduction and parthenogenesis.
A few species of insects and crustaceans can reproduce by parthenogenesis, especially if conditions favor a "population explosion". However, most arthropods rely on sexual reproduction, and parthenogenetic species often revert to sexual reproduction when conditions become less favorable. [49]