COCKROACH

PERIPLANATA AMERICANA
VARIOUS SPECIES

• PERIPLANATA AMERICANA

• PERIPLANATA MEXICANA

• PERIPLANATA INDICA

• BLATTA ORIENTALIS
MORPHOLOGY
• THE ADULTS OF THE PERIPLANETA AMERICANA ARE ABOUT 34-53
MM LONG WITH WINGS THAT EXTEND BEYOND THE TIP OF THE
ABDOMEN IN MALES.
• THE BODY OF THE COCKROACH IS SEGMENTED.
• BODY IS DIVISIBLE INTO THREE DISTINCT REGIONS, HEAD, THORAX
AND ABDOMEN.
• THE ENTIRE BODY IS COVERED BY A HARD CHITINOUS
EXOSKELETON (BROWN IN COLOUR).
• IN EACH SEGMENT, EXOSKELETON HAS HARDENED PLATES
CALLED SCLERITES(TERGITES DORSALLY AND STERNITES
VENTRALLY)
• THAT ARE JOINED TO EACH OTHER BY A THIN AND FLEXIBLE
ARTICULAR MEMBRANE (ARTHRODIAL MEMBRANE).
BODY STRUCTURE
• HEAD IS TRIANGULAR IN SHAPE AND LIES ANTERIORLY AT RIGHT
ANGLES TO THE LONGITUDINAL BODY AXIS. IT IS FORMED BY THE
FUSION OF SIX SEGMENTS AND SHOWS GREAT MOBILITY IN ALL
DIRECTIONS DUE TO FLEXIBLE NECK
• THE HEAD CAPSULE BEARS A PAIR OF COMPOUND EYES.
• A PAIR OF THREAD LIKE ANTENNAE ARISE FROM MEMBRANOUS
SOCKETS LYING IN FRONT OF EYES.
• ANTENNAE HAVE SENSORY RECEPTORS THAT HELP IN
MONITORING THE ENVIRONMENT.
MOUTH PARTS
• ANTERIOR END OF THE HEAD BEARS APPENDAGES FORMING
BITING AND CHEWING TYPE OF
MOUTH PARTS.
• THE MOUTHPARTS CONSISTING OF
• A LABRUM (UPPER LIP),
• A PAIR OF MANDIBLES,
• A PAIR OF MAXILLAE AND
• A LABIUM (LOWER LIP).
• A MEDIAN FLEXIBLE LOBE, ACTING AS TONGUE (HYPOPHARYNX),
LIES WITHIN THE CAVITY ENCLOSED BY THE MOUTHPARTS
THORAX
• THORAX CONSISTS OF THREE PARTS
• PROTHORAX,
• MESOTHORAX AND
• METATHORAX.
• THE HEAD IS CONNECTED WITH THORAX BY A SHORT EXTENSION
OF THE PROTHORAX KNOWN AS THE NECK.
• EACH THORACIC SEGMENT BEARS A PAIR OF WALKING LEGS.
• THE FIRST PAIR OF WINGS ARISES FROM MESOTHORAX
• THE SECOND PAIR FROM METATHORAX.
• FOREWINGS (MESOTHORACIC) CALLED TEGMINA ARE OPAQUE
DARK AND LEATHERY AND COVER THE HIND WINGS WHEN AT
REST.
• THE HIND WINGS ARE TRANSPARENT, MEMBRANOUS AND ARE
USED IN FLIGHT.
ABDOMEN
• THE ABDOMEN IN BOTH MALES AND FEMALES CONSISTS OF 10 SEGMENTS.
• IN FEMALES, THE 7TH STERNUM IS BOAT SHAPED AND TOGETHER WITH THE
8TH AND 9TH STERNA FORMS A BROOD OR GENITAL POUCH WHOSE
ANTERIOR PART CONTAINS FEMALE GONOPORE, SPERMATHECAL PORES
AND COLLATERAL GLANDS.
• IN MALES, GENITAL POUCH OR CHAMBER LIES AT THE HIND END OF
ABDOMEN BOUNDED DORSALLY BY 9TH AND 10TH TERGA AND VENTRALLY
BY THE 9TH STERNUM.
• IT CONTAINS DORSAL ANUS, VENTRAL MALE GENITAL PORE AND
GONAPOPHYSIS.
• MALES BEAR A PAIR OF SHORT, THREADLIKE ANAL STYLES WHICH ARE
ABSENT IN FEMALES.
• IN BOTH SEXES, THE 10TH SEGMENT BEARS A PAIR OF JOINTED FILAMENTOUS
STRUCTURES CALLED ANAL CERCI.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

• THE ALIMENTARY CANAL PRESENT IN THE BODY CAVITY IS DIVIDED

INTO THREE REGIONS: FOREGUT, MIDGUT AND HINDGUT.
• THE MOUTH OPENS INTO A SHORT TUBULAR PHARYNX, LEADING
TO A NARROW TUBULAR PASSAGE CALLED OESOPHAGUS.
• THIS IN TURN OPENS INTO A SAC LIKE STRUCTURE CALLED CROP
USED FOR STORING OF FOOD.
• THE CROP IS FOLLOWED BY GIZZARD OR PROVENTRICULUS.
• IT HAS AN OUTER LAYER OF THICK CIRCULAR MUSCLES AND THICK
INNER CUTICLE FORMING SIX HIGHLY CHITINOUS PLATE CALLED
TEETH.
• GIZZARD HELPS IN GRINDING THE FOOD PARTICLES.
• THE ENTIRE FOREGUT IS LINED BY CUTICLE.
• A RING OF 6-8 BLIND TUBULES CALLED HEPATIC OR GASTRIC
CAECAE IS PRESENT AT THE JUNCTION OF FOREGUT AND
MIDGUT, WHICH SECRETE DIGESTIVE JUICE.
• AT THE JUNCTION OF MIDGUT AND HINDGUT IS PRESENT
ANOTHER RING OF 100-150 YELLOW COLOURED THIN
FILAMENTOUS MALPIGHIAN TUBULES.
• THEY HELP IN REMOVAL OF EXCRETORY PRODUCTS FROM
HAEMOLYMPH.
• THE HINDGUT IS BROADER THAN MIDGUT AND IS DIFFERENTIATED
INTO ILEUM, COLON AND RECTUM.
• THE RECTUM OPENS OUT THROUGH ANUS.
CIRCULATORY
SYSTEM
• BLOOD VASCULAR SYSTEM OF COCKROACH IS AN OPEN TYPE.
• BLOOD VESSELS ARE POORLY DEVELOPED AND OPEN INTO
SPACE (HAEMOCOEL).
• VISCERAL ORGANS LOCATED IN THE HAEMOCOEL ARE BATHED
IN BLOOD (HAEMOLYMPH).
• THE HAEMOLYMPH IS COMPOSED OF COLOURLESS PLASMA
AND HAEMOCYTES.
• HEART OF COCKROACH CONSISTS OF ELONGATED MUSCULAR
TUBE LYING ALONG MID DORSAL LINE OF THORAX AND
ABDOMEN.
• IT IS DIFFERENTIATED INTO FUNNEL SHAPED CHAMBERS WITH
OSTIA ON EITHER SIDE.
• BLOOD FROM SINUSES ENTER HEART THROUGH OSTIA AND IS
PUMPED ANTERIORLY TO SINUSES AGAIN.
• CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IN COCKROACH IS DIVIDED INTO:
• A) HAEMOLYMPH OR BLOOD
• B) HAEMOCOEL
• C) HEART AND AORTA

• HAEMOLYMPH
• HAEMOLYMPH OR BLOOD IN COCKROACH IS A COLOURLESS
FLUID
• HAEMOGLOBIN IS ABSENT
• BLOOD CORPUSCLES ABSENT.
• THOUGH SOME CELLS CALLED HAEMOCYTES ARE PRESENT
• THERE ARE SEVEN TYPES OF HAEMOCYTES
• BLOOD PLAYS NO ROLE IN TRANSPORTATION OF GASES
HAEMOCOEL
• HAEMOCOEL IS THE BODY CAVITY IN COCKROACH WHICH CONTAINS
HAEMOLYMPH
• IT SHOWS THE PRESENCE OF TWO DIAPHRAGMS
• DORSAL DIAPHRAGM
• VENTRAL DIAPHRAGM
• BOTH DIAPHRAGMS SHOW VALVULAR PORES OR FENESTRAE
• THESE DIAPHRAGMS DIVIDE THE BODY CAVITY INTO THREE COMPARTMENTS
• A DORSAL PERICARDIAL SINUS
• A MIDDLE PERIVISCERAL SINUS
• A VENTRAL PERINEURAL SINUS

• PERICARDIAL SINUS
• THE DORSAL COMPARTMENT
• IT CONTAINS THE HEART AND AORTA
• IT ALSO CONTAINS TWELVE PAIRS OF FAN SHAPED MUSCLES CALLED ALARY
MUSCLES
PERIVISCERAL SINUS
• THE MIDDLE COMPARTMENT
• CONTAINS THE VISCERAL ORGANS
• THE DIGESTIVE TRACT RUNS THROUGH THIS COMPARTMENT

• PERINEURAL SINUS
• THE VENTRAL SINUS
• CONTAINS THE NERVE CORD (AND THE GANGLIA)

• ALL SINUSES CONTAIN HAEMOLYMPH

• ALL SINUSES COMMUNICATE WITH THE HEAD SINUS IN THE FRONT
HEART AND AORTA
• PRESENT IN THE PERICARDIAL SINUS
• HEART IS A TUBULAR ORGAN ALONG THE CENTRAL AXIS
• IT IS A THIRTEEN CHAMBERED ORGAN, ONE CHAMBER PER SEGMENT
• EACH CHAMBER IS A FLASK OR INVERTED FUNNEL SHAPED CHAMBER
• EACH CHAMBER HAS TWO TYPES OF OPENINGS
• AN ANTERIOR VALVULAR OPENING
• A PAIR OF POSTERO- LATERAL OPENINGS CALLED OSTIA
• EACH CHAMBER COMMUNICATES WITH ANTERIOR CHAMBER
THROUGH THE ANTERIOR OPENING
• IT ALSO COMMUNICATES WITH THE PERICARDIAL SINUS THROUGH THE
OSTIA
• THE FIRST CHAMBER COMMUNICATES WITH HEAD SINUS THROUGH AN
ELONGATED TUBULAR PROJECTION CALLED AORTA
PHYSIOLOGY OF CIRCULATION
• BLOOD FROM THE HEART IS PUMPED INTO THE HEAD SINUS THROUGH
THE AORTA
• FROM THE HEAD SINUS, BLOOD IS PUMPED INTO THE PERINEURAL AND
PERIVISCERAL SINUSES
• THE IMPURE BLOOD FROM THE PERINEURAL SINUS IS PUMPED INTO THE
PERIVISCERAL SINUS THROUGH THE VALVULAR PORES IN THE VENTRAL
DIAPHRAGM
• IN THE PERIVISCERAL SINUS, IT ABSORBS NUTRIENTS FROM THE GUT AND
THE EXCRETORY WASTE IS ABSORBED BY MALPIGHIAN TUBULES
• THIS BLOOD IS PURE BLOOD
• PURE BLOOD THEN ENTERS PERICARDIAL SINUS THROUGH THE PORES IN
DORSAL DIAPHRAGM
• FROM PERICARDIAL SINUS, BLOOD ENTERS HEART THROUGH THE OSTIA
NERVOUS SYSTEM
• THE NERVOUS SYSTEM OF COCKROACH CONSISTS OF A SERIES OF
FUSED, SEGMENTALLY ARRANGED GANGLIA JOINED BY PAIRED
LONGITUDINAL CONNECTIVES ON THE VENTRAL SIDE.
• THREE GANGLIA LIE IN THE THORAX, AND SIX IN THE ABDOMEN.
• THE NERVOUS SYSTEM OF COCKROACH IS SPREAD THROUGHOUT
THE BODY.
• THE HEAD HOLDS A BIT OF A NERVOUS SYSTEM
• WHILE THE REST IS SITUATED ALONG THE VENTRAL (BELLY-SIDE)
PART OF ITS BODY.
• SO, NOW YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IF THE HEAD OF A
COCKROACH IS CUT OFF, IT WILL STILL LIVE FOR AS LONG AS ONE
WEEK.
• IN THE HEAD REGION, THE BRAIN IS REPRESENTED BY SUPRA-
OESOPHAGEAL GANGLION WHICH SUPPLIES NERVES TO
ANTENNAE AND COMPOUND EYES.
• THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IN COCKROACH IS DIVIDED INTO
• CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
• PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
• AUTONOMOUS NERVOUS SYSTEM

• CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

• IT IS MADE UP OF :
• NERVE RING
• NERVE CORD

• NERVE RING
• NERVE RING IS FORMED BY THREE STRUCTURES
• SUPRA- OESOPHAGEAL GANGLIA
• CIRCUM- OESOPHAGEAL CONNECTIVES
• SUB- OESOPHAGEAL GANGLION
• SUPRA- OESOPHAGEAL GANGLIA
• ALSO CALLED THE BRAIN OF COCKROACH
• SITUATED ABOVE THE OESOPHAGUS
• IT IS MADE UP OF THREE GANGLIA
• PROTOCEREBRUM
• DEUTOCEREBRUM
• TRITOCEREBRUM

SUB- OESOPHAGEAL GANGLION

• SITUATED BELOW THE OESOPHAGUS
• SINGLE GANGLION
• FORMS THE LOWER END OF THE RING
CIRCUM- OESOPHAGEAL CONNECTIVES
• THESE ARE CONNECTIVE FIBRES WHICH CONNECT THE SUPRA
AND SUB OESOPHAGEAL GANGLIA

• TOGETHER THE SUPRA- OESOPHAGEAL GANGLIA, CIRCUM-

OESOPHAGEAL CONNECTIVES AND THE SUB- OESOPHAGEAL
GANGLION FORM THE NERVE RING
NERVE CORD
• NERVE CORD IN COCKROACH IS DOUBLE, VENTRAL AND
GANGLIONATED
• THE DOUBLE CORD IS FUSED
• SITUATED BELOW THE DIGESTIVE TRACT THEREFORE VENTRAL
• IT SHOWS 9 GANGLIA
• 3 THORACIC AND
• 6 ABDOMINAL

• THE THORACIC GANGLIA ARE

• PROTOTHORACIC GANGLION
• MESOTHORACIC GANGLION
• METATHORACIC GANGLION
• THE ABDOMINAL GANGLIA ARE IN THE ABDOMINAL SEGMENT
NOS:
• 1,2,3,4,5 AND 7

• THE THORACIC GANGLIA AND THE LAST ABDOMINAL GANGLIA

ARE THE LARGEST

• PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM:

• IT CONSISTS OF THE NERVES ARISING FROM THE CENTRAL
NERVOUS SYSTEM
• THE NERVES ARE:
• FROM NERVE RING
• SUPRA- OESOPHAGEAL GANGLIA
• PROTOCEREBRUM- OPTIC NERVE- TO COMPOUND EYES
• DEUTOCEREBRUM- ANTENNARY NERVES– TO ANTENNAE
• TRITOCEREBRUM– LABROFRONTAL NERVES– TO LABRUM AND
FRONS
• SUB- OESOPHAGEAL GANGLION
• GIVES NERVES TO MANDIBLE, MAXILLAE AND LABIUM

• FROM NERVE CORD

• SEGMENTAL NERVES FROM EACH SEGMENTAL GANGLION
• THE LAST ABDOMINAL GANGLION GIVES NERVES TO
ABDOMINAL SEGMENT NO. 6, 7, 8, 9 AND 10 (SEGMENTS 9-13)
AUTONOMOUS NERVOUS SYSTEM

• ANS IN COCKROACH IS MADE UP OF FOUR GANGLIA

• THEY ARE:
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM
• THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM CONSISTS OF A NETWORK OF
TRACHEA, THAT OPEN THROUGH 10 PAIRS OF SMALL HOLES
CALLED SPIRACLES PRESENT ON THE LATERAL SIDE OF THE BODY.
• THIN BRANCHING TUBES (TRACHEAL TUBES SUBDIVIDED INTO
TRACHEOLES) CARRY OXYGEN FROM THE AIR TO ALL THE PARTS.
• THE OPENING OF THE SPIRACLES IS REGULATED BY THE
SPHINCTERS.
• EXCHANGE OF GASES TAKE PLACE AT THE TRACHEOLES BY
DIFFUSION.
EXCRETORY SYSTEM
• EXCRETION IS PERFORMED BY MALPIGHIAN TUBULES.
• EACH TUBULE IS LINED BY GLANDULAR AND CILIATED CELLS.
• THEY ABSORB NITROGENOUS WASTE PRODUCTS AND CONVERT
THEM INTO URIC ACID WHICH IS EXCRETED OUT THROUGH THE
HINDGUT.
• THEREFORE, THIS INSECT IS CALLED URICOTELIC.
• IN ADDITION, THE FAT BODY, NEPHROCYTES AND URECOSE
GLANDS ALSO HELP IN EXCRETION.
MALE REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM IS MADE UP OF :
• A PAIR OF TESTES
• A PAIR OF VASA DIFFERENTIA
• SEMINAL VESICLE
• EJACULATORY DUCT
• EXTERNAL GENITALIA

• ACCESSORY GLANDS:
• MUSHROOM GLANDS
• PHALLIC GLANDS
• COCKROACHES ARE DIOECIOUS AND BOTH SEXES HAVE WELL DEVELOPED
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS .
• MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM CONSISTS OF A PAIR OF TESTES ONE LYING ON
EACH LATERAL SIDE IN THE 4TH -6TH ABDOMINAL SEGMENTS.
• FROM EACH TESTIS ARISES A THIN VAS DEFERENS, WHICH OPENS INTO
EJACULATORY DUCT THROUGH SEMINAL VESICLE.
• THE EJACULATORY DUCT OPENS INTO MALE GONOPORE SITUATED VENTRAL
TO ANUS.
• A CHARACTERISTIC MUSHROOM SHAPED GLAND IS PRESENT IN THE 6TH-7TH
ABDOMINAL SEGMENTS WHICH FUNCTIONS AS AN ACCESSORY
REPRODUCTIVE GLAND.
• THE EXTERNAL GENITALIA ARE REPRESENTED BY MALE GONAPOPHYSIS OR
PHALLOMERE (CHITINOUS ASYMMETRICAL STRUCTURES, SURROUNDING THE
MALE GONOPORE).
• THE SPERMS ARE STORED IN THE SEMINAL VESICLES AND ARE GLUED
TOGETHER IN THE FORM OF BUNDLES CALLED SPERMATOPHORES WHICH ARE
DISCHARGED DURING COPULATION.
• (for reference only).. Courtesy GOOGLE

• THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF COCKROACH CONSISTS OF A PAIR OF

TESTES, VASA DEFERENTIA, AN EJACULATORY DUCT, UTRICULAR GLAND,
PHALLIC GLAND AND THE EXTERNAL GENITALIA.

• TESTES
THERE IS A PAIR OF THREE-LOBED TESTES LYING DORSOLATERALLY IN THE 4TH
AND 5TH ABDOMINAL SEGMENTS, BEING EMBEDDED IN THE FAT BODY.

• VASA DEFERENTIA
FROM EACH TESTIS ARISES A THIN THREAD-LIKE, WHITE VASA DEFERENS. BOTH
THE VASA DEFERENTIA PASS BACKWARDS ALMOST TO THE POSTERIOR END OF
ABDOMEN AND THEN BEND FORWARDS TO MEET IN THE MIDDLE AND OPEN
INTO AN EJACULATORY DUCT.
• EJACULATORY DUCT:
THE EJACULATORY DUCT IS AN ELONGATED WIDE MEDIAN DUCT WHICH RUNS
BACKWARDS IN THE ABDOMEN AND OPENS OUT BY MALE GONOPORE
SITUATED VENTRAL TO THE ANUS.

• UTRICULAR OR MUSHROOM-SHAPED GLAND:

IT IS A LARGE ACCESSORY REPRODUCTIVE GLAND, WHITISH IN COLOUR AND
SITUATED AT THE JUNCTION OF VASA DEFERENTIA WITH THE EJACULATORY
DUCT.

• PHALLIC OR CONGLOBATE GLAND:

IT IS A LONG AND CLUB-SHAPED ACCESSORY GLAND. ITS ANTERIOR
BROADER END LIES IN THE 6TH SEGMENT SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT OF THE NERVE
CORD.
• EXTERNAL GENITALIA:
SOME CHITINOUS ASYMMETRICAL STRUCTURES ARE FOUND SURROUNDING
THE MALE GONOPORE AT THE END OF THE ABDOMEN.
• CONGLOBATE (PHALLIC) GLAND:
• IT IS A LARGE ELONGATE SAC LIKE STRUCTURE LIES BENEATH THE MUSHROOM
GLAND AND EJACULATORY DUCT. IT OPENS BY THE SIDE OF MALE
GONOPORE. THE SECRETION OF ACCESSORY GLANDS IS MIXED WITH THE
SPERMATOZOA (OR IN SOME INSECTS, IT CONCERNED WITH THE FORMATION
OF SPERMATOPHORES).

• EXTERNAL GENITALIA:
SOME CHITINOUS ASYMMETRICAL STRUCTURES ARE FOUND SURROUNDING THE
MALE GONOPORE AT THE END OF THE ABDOMEN. THESE ARE THREE
PHALLOMERES OR MALE GONAPOPHYSES WHICH CONSTITUTE THE EXTERNAL
GENITALIA.
• RIGHT PHALLOMERE:
IT IS MID-DORSAL IN POSITION. IT HAS TWO CHITINOUS BUT MEMBRANOUS
HORIZONTAL OPPOSING PLATES AND A BROAD SERRATE LOBE WITH A SAW-
TOOTHED EDGE AND TWO LARGE TEETH, AND AT ITS POSTERIOR SIDE IT HAS A
SICKLE-SHAPED HOOK.

• LEFT PHALLOMERE:
IT HAS A BROAD BASE FROM WHICH SEVERAL STRUCTURES ARISE, ON THE
EXTREME LEFT IS A LONG SLENDER ARM WITH A CURVED HOOK CALLED
TITILLATOR, NEXT TO THE TITILLATOR IS A SHORTER AND BROADER ARM ENDING
IN A BLACK HAMMER-LIKE HEAD CALLED PSEUDOPENIS.
CLOSE TO THE PSEUDOPENIS ARE THREE SMALL SOFT LOBES, ONE OF WHICH
BEARS A HOOK AND IS CALLED AN ASPERATE LOBE. THE DUCT OF THE PHALLIC
GLAND TRAVERSES THE LEFT PHALLOMERE AND OPENS BETWEEN THE ASPERATE
LOBE AND PSEUDOPENIS.
• VENTRAL PHALLOMERE:
IT IS VERY SIMPLE IN STRUCTURE AND LIES PARTLY BELOW THE RIGHT
PHALLOMERE.
• IT HAS A LARGE BROWN PLATE AND BEARS THE MALE GONOPORE.

• SPERMATOPHORE:
THE SPERMS PRODUCED FROM TESTES, WHILE THE COCKROACH IS STILL YOUNG,
ARE BROUGHT BY THE VASA DEFERENTIA INTO THE SEMINAL VESICLES FOR
STORAGE. THE SPERMS IN THE SEMINAL VESICLES ARE GLUED TOGETHER IN THE
FORM OF BUNDLES CALLED SPERMATOPHORES. ACTUALLY, THE
SPERMATOPHORES ARE DISCHARGED BY THE MALE DURING COPULATION.
A SPERMATOPHORE IS PEAR-SHAPED ABOUT 13 MM IN DIAMETER AND ITS WALL
HAS THREE LAYERS.
• ITS INNERMOST LAYER IS FIRST FORMED BY THE MILKY SECRETION SECRETED
FROM THE LONG PERIPHERAL TUBULES OF THE UTRICULAR GLAND. THIS LAYER
THEN RECEIVES BUNDLED SPERMS FROM SEMINAL VESICLE AND A LIQUID
FROM THE SHORT TUBULES OF THE UTRICULAR GLAND. THEN THIS INSEMINATED
LAYER PASSES DOWN THE EJACULATORY DUCT AND IT RECEIVES THE SECOND
LAYER FROM THE CELLS OF EJACULATORY DUCT.

• DURING MATING, THE TWO LAYERED SPERMATOPHORE, THUS, FORMED IS

ATTACHED TO THE SPERMATHECAL APERTURE OF THE FEMALE AND THEN THE
SECRETION OF PHALLIC GLAND IS POURED OVER IT WHICH HARDENS TO
FORM THE THIRD AND OUTERMOST LAYER OF THE SPERMATOPHORE
FEMALE
REPRODUCTIVE
SYSTEM
• THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSYTEM CONSISTS OF TWO LARGE OVARIES,
LYING LATERALLY IN THE 2ND Ñ 6TH ABDOMINAL SEGMENTS.
• EACH OVARY IS FORMED OF A GROUP OF EIGHT OVARIAN TUBULES OR
OVARIOLES, CONTAINING A CHAIN OF DEVELOPING OVA.
• OVIDUCTS OF EACH OVARY UNITE INTO A SINGLE MEDIAN OVIDUCT (ALSO
CALLED VAGINA) WHICH OPENS INTO THE GENITAL CHAMBER.
• A PAIR OF SPERMATHECA IS PRESENT IN THE 6TH SEGMENT WHICH OPENS
INTO THE GENITAL CHAMBER.
• SPERMS ARE TRANSFERRED THROUGH SPERMATOPHORES.
• THEIR FERTILISED EGGS ARE ENCASED IN CAPSULES CALLED OOTHECAE.
• OOTHECA IS A DARK REDDISH TO BLACKISH BROWN CAPSULE, ABOUT 3/8" (8
MM) LONG.
• THEY ARE DROPPED OR GLUED TO A SUITABLE SURFACE, USUALLY IN A
CRACK OR CREVICE OF HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY NEAR A FOOD SOURCE.
ON AN AVERAGE, FEMALES PRODUCE 9-10
OOTHECAE, EACH CONTAINING 14-16 EGGS.
• OVARIES:
THERE ARE TWO LARGE, LIGHT YELLOW- COLOURED OVARIES LYING LATERALLY
IN THE SEGMENT 4TH, 5TH, 6TH, EMBEDDED IN THE FAT BODY. EACH OVARY IS
FORMED OF A GROUP OF EIGHT OVARIAN TUBULES OR OVARIOLES
CONTAINING A CHAIN OF DEVELOPING OVA. AN OVARIOLE IS MADE UP OF
AN EPITHELIAL LAYER RESTING ON A BASEMENT MEMBRANE AND ENCLOSED
EXTERNALLY IN A CONNECTIVE TISSUE COAT.

HOWEVER, AN OVARIOLE FROM IN FRONT TO BACKWARDS CONSISTS OF THE

FOLLOWING ZONES:
(I) SUSPENSORY FILAMENT, IT IS THIN, THREAD-LIKE CONTINUATION OF THE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE LAYER AND PROVIDES ATTACHMENT OF THE OVARIOLE TO
THE DORSAL BODY WALL AND, THUS, IT SERVES TO SUSPEND THE OVARIOLE IN
THE HAEMOCOEL.
(II) ZONE OF GERMARIUM, IT FOLLOWS THE TERMINAL FILAMENTOUS ZONE AND
CONSISTS OF GERM CELLS OR OOGONIA AND MATURE INTO OOCYTES AND
PUSHED DOWNWARDS.
(III) VITELLARIUM, THIS ZONE RECEIVES THE OOCYTES FROM THE ZONE OF
GERMARIUM ONE BY ONE AND CONSTITUTES THE LARGEST PART OF THE
OVARIOLE, THE OOCYTES BECOME ENCLOSED IN A FOLLICLE OF EPITHELIUM
AND INCREASE PROGRESSIVELY IN SIZE TOWARDS THE POSTERIOR END WHICH
GIVES IT BEADED APPEARANCE.
(IV) EGG CHAMBER, THE VITELLARIUM OPENS POSTERIORLY INTO A SMALL,
THICK, OVAL EGG CHAMBER WHICH CONTAINS A SINGLE LARGE MATURE
OVUM AT A TIME.
(V) STALK OR PEDICEL, THE EGG CHAMBER CONTINUES POSTERIORLY INTO
THIN-WALLED, HOLLOW STALK WHICH OPENS INTO THE LATERAL OVIDUCT.
• OVIDUCTS:
THE STALK OF ALL EIGHT OVARIOLES ON ONE SIDE JOIN TO FORM AN OVIDUCT
WHICH IS LATERAL, SMALL AND WITH MUSCULAR WALL.

(II) VAGINA:
BOTH THE LATERAL OVIDUCTS UNITE TO FORM A BROAD MEDIAN COMMON
OVIDUCT CALLED VAGINA. THE VAGINA OPENS BY THE FEMALE GONOPORE
INTO THE GENITAL CHAMBER.
(III) GENITAL POUCH:
IT IS A LARGE BOAT-SHAPED STRUCTURE WHOSE FLOOR IS FORMED BY THE 7TH
STERNITE, ROOF AND SIDES ARE FORMED BY THE 8TH AND 9TH STERNITES. THE
GENITAL POUCH CAN BE DIVIDED INTO A GENITAL CHAMBER INTO WHICH
VAGINA OPENS AND AN OOTHECAL CHAMBER WHERE OOTHECAE ARE
FORMED. THE GENITAL CHAMBER ALSO RECEIVES THE ACCESSORY
REPRODUCTIVE GLANDS.
THE FEMALE GONOPORE IS AN APERTURE IN THE 8TH STERNUM, WHICH LIES
INSIDE THE GENITAL CHAMBER INFLECTED ABOVE THE 7TH STERNITE. THE 7TH
STERNITE IS ALSO PRODUCED BACKWARDS INTO TWO LARGE OVAL
GYNOVALVULAR PLATES OR APICAL LOBES. THE GENITAL POUCH IS ALSO
REFERRED TO AS GYNATRIUM.

(IV) COLLATERIAL GLANDS:

THERE IS A PAIR OF WHITE MUCH BRANCHED COLLATERIAL GLANDS, THE LEFT IS
MUCH LARGER THAN THE RIGHT. BOTH THESE GLANDS CONTINUE AS
COLLATERIAL DUCTS WHICH JOIN TO FORM A COMMON DUCT WHICH OPENS
INTO THE DORSAL SIDE OF THE GENITAL CHAMBER. THESE ARE THE ACCESSORY
REPRODUCTIVE GLANDS.
(V) SPERMATHECAE:
THESE ARE A PAIR OF CLUB-SHAPED, UNEQUAL-SIZED, ONE SPERMATHECAE BEING LARGER
THAN THE OTHER, STRUCTURES. BOTH THE SPERMATHECAE UNITE TO FORM A SHORT COMMON
DUCT WHICH OPENS INTO THE GENITAL CHAMBER ON A SMALL SPERMATHECAL PAPILLA. SOME
WORKERS CLAIM THAT THERE IS A SINGLE SPERMATHECA AND IT HAS A LATERAL CAECUM.

(VI) EXTERNAL GENITALIA OF FEMALE:

THESE LIE CONCEALED INSIDE THE GYNATRIUM. THEY CONSIST OF AN OVIPOSITOR FORMED BY
TWO GONAPOPHYSES. THE OVIPOSITOR LIES ABOVE AND BEHIND THE GONOPORE, IT IS SHORT
AND HAS THREE PAIRS OF ELONGATED PROCESSES, A PAIR OF LONG THICK ARMS LYING
DORSALLY AND ENCLOSING TWO PAIRS OF SLENDER TAPERING ARMS.
THESE TWO PAIRS OF ARMS ARISE FROM A COMMON BASE AND THEY CONSTITUTE THE
POSTERIOR GONAPOPHYSES, THEY BELONG TO THE 9TH ABDOMINAL SEGMENT AND ARE
JOINED TO THE 9TH TERGUM.
THE THIRD PAIR OF ARMS OF THE OVIPOSITOR IS LARGE, THEY CONVERGE AND MEET
POSTERIORLY LYING BELOW THE POSTERIOR GONAPOPHYSES AND CONSTITUTE THE ANTERIOR
GONAPOPHYSES. THESE BELONG TO THE 8TH ABDOMINAL SEGMENT AND ARE ATTACHED TO
THE OUTER MARGINS OF 8TH TERGUM. THE OVIPOSITOR IS USED ONLY TO CONDUCT FERTILISED
EGGS TO THE OOTHECAL CHAMBER.