STUDIES ON THE ROLE OF THE LATERAL LOBES AND THE OVOTESTIS OF THE PULMONATE SNAILBULINUS TRUNCATUSIN THE CONTROL OF BODY GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION

Abstract

The small lateral lobes (LL) are paired ganglia connected with the lateral side of the cerebral ganglia. Extirpation and implantation experiments demonstrate that (neuroendocrine) centres in the LL decrease body growth and increae the production of eggs and egg capsules. Castration is followed by an acceleration of body growth and a reduction of egg capsule production. Since reimplanted ovotestes (OT) degenerated rapidly, it could not be established whether this effect is hormonal or neuronal. The results clearly suggest that the OT is not involved in the endocrine control of cellular differentiation, growth and synthetic activity of the female accessory sex organs. The ways in which LL and OT may control the antagonistic processes of body growth and reproduction are discussed.