Gonadotrophic Cycles in the Face Fly, Musca autumnalis123

Abstract

Gonadotrophic cycles were studied in Musca autumnalis De Geer, by observing physical changes in the ovaries after the completion of a known number of cycles, and by observing oviposition by individual females. Nulliparous and parous females could be distinguished in all cases, primarily on the basis of the follicular relics which occurred in the. parous females. Ovarian follicular relics were observed in several forms in parous females, and distinctions among uniparous, biparous, and triparous individuals were possible. Under the experimental conditions used, the first uniparous, biparous, and triparous females were 4, 7, and 10 days old, respectively. Most of the females completed 2 gonadotrophic cycles within a 12-day period following emergence, the first by 6–7 days and the second by 10–11 days.