The Internal Reproductive Organs of Lygaeid Bug, Spilostethus pandurus (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae)-gross morphology and histomorphology

Gross morphology and histomorphology of internal reproductive organs were studied in Spilostethus pandurus. testis consisted of seven follicles united basally as calyx. the vas deferens posteriorly formed a bulb constituting mesadene glands. Bulbus ejaculatorius was a short and thick tube with highly saccular structure. the testis follicle consisted of an apical zone with highly extensive zone of spermatozoa. the vasa efferentia were highly secretory and calyx was muscular, opening with vas deferens and guarded by sphincter. bulbus ejaculatorius possessed dorsal secretory chamber and ventral chamber contained powerful fan shaped muscle for pumping of sperms and spermatic fluid. There were seven telotrophic ovarioles with uniformly narrow oviducts. An unpaired spermatheca was attached to the right side of bursa. Accessory gland was not visible. In a mature ovary, a distinct swelling at the junction of pedicel and basal oocyte represented complex system of corpus luteum, antepedicellar tissue and basal epithelial plug. Six egg nodules occur in a mature ovariole and plasmatic strand of basal oocyte run opposed to follicular epithelium of succeeding eggs to reach the central core of germarium. the trophocytes with lobate nuclei were arranged in whorls around central core and in between the whorls plasmatic strands traversed. Spermatheca had a bulb and stalk, the function being guarded by a muscular valve. A tubular highly secretory gland opened into the common oviduct.