POSTEMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS OF THE PRAIRIE GRAIN WIREWORM, CTENICERA AERIPENNIS DESTRUCTOR (BROWN) (COLEOPTERA: ELATERIDAE)

Abstract

In the male larva of Ctenicera aeripennis destructor (Brown), the reproductive system consists of paired mesodermal gonads situated in one of the second to fifth segments of the abdomen, an ectodermal genital capsule and paired mesodermal ampullae situated in the ninth segment of the abdomen, and a pair of mesodermal cell strands that connect the gonads to the ampullae. In the female larva, the reproductive system consists of paired mesodermal gonads situated similarly to those of the male, paired mesodermal ampullae situated at the posterior margin of the seventh segment, and a pair of mesodermal cell strands that connect the gonads to the ampullae. During the larval stage, prepupal period, and pupal stage, the gonads and cell strands of the male develop into testes and vasa deferentia, respectively, and those of the female, into ovaries and lateral oviducts, respectively. In the male, during the prepupal period and pupal stage, the ampullae develop into the paired spermatophoral and accessory glands and the seminal vesicles; the genital capsule develops into the ejaculatory duct and external genitalia. In the female, during the prepupal period and pupal stage, the ampullae develop into the common oviduct; the vagina forms from a groove in the ventral epidermis of the eighth and ninth abdominal segments; the uterus, spermatophoral receptacle, spermatheca, accessory gland, and its duct develop from invaginations in the vaginal groove in the eighth abdominal segment; the external genitalia develop from ridges on the sternal epidermis of the ninth abdominal segment.