Anatomical and Histological Structures of the Female Reproductive System of the Adult Lucerne Leaf Beetle Gonioctena fornicata (Brüggemann, 1873) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Nurcan Özyurt Koçakoğlu, Hicret Arslan, Selami CandanObjective: The aim of this study was to determine the anatomical and histological structures of the female reproductive system of Gonioctena fornicata (Brüggemann, 1873) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), an economically important alfalfa pest, and to contribute to studies in this field.
Materials and Methods: The anatomy and histology of the female reproductive system and egg structure of adult G. fornicata were described using stereo, light, and scanning electron microscopy.
Results: The female reproductive system of G. fornicata comprises a pair of ovaries, lateral oviducts, a spermatheca, and a common oviduct. Each ovary contains 14 telotrophic ovarioles with terminal filaments. Just below the terminal filament is the germarium. The germarium surface is smooth and has a pear-shaped appearance. There is a single oocyte in the vitellarium region, located next to the germarium. The oocyte, which completes its development, passes into the pedicel, the last part of the ovariole. The ovarioles are connected to the lateral oviduct via pedicels. Polygonal shapes are observed on the chorion surface of eggs in the lateral oviduct. A pair of lateral oviducts opens into a common oviduct. Spines extend from the intima layer of the lateral and common oviducts towards the lumen. G. fornicata eggs laid outside are yellowish in colour and have a cylindrical appearance. The chorion is extremely thin and has polygonal shapes on its surface.
Conclusion: The female reproductive systems of G. fornicata are generally similar to those of other species in the subfamily Chrysomelinae.