THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CORPORA ALLATA AND REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS IN STARVED FEMALE LEUCOPHAEA MADERAE (BLATTARIA)

Abstract

In starved females of L. maderae whose ovaries remain immature, egg development can be induced by the implantation of corpora allata from fed donors. Implants from adult males have the same qualitative effect as those from females, but they are by comparison less active. Thus the inhibition of ovarian development caused by starvation is not a direct effect, but is mediated through the corpora allata. While the oocytes of female Leucophaea, starved from emergence, remain undeveloped, their accessory sex glands may show some measure of secretory activity. The result indicates that these glands whose activity depends on the corpus allantum have a lower threshold of response than the ovaries, and that starvation does not totally prevent the secretion of corpus allatum hormone.