INSECTS’

REPRODUCTION &
DEVELOPMENT
By Ummi Nur Afinni D.J., M.Pd.
STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF THE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

• Production of egg

Function • Reception & storage of sperm

• Fertilization & oviposition

• A pair of ovary
• Oviduct
• Vagina
Organ • Spermatecha
• Accessory Gland
Morphology
Representative Female Reproductive System
Source: Gillot. 2005)
Representative Female Reproductive System
Source: Gillot. 2005)
 STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF THE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Ovary
Each ovary contains ovarioles

Each ovarioles attached to terminal filament

Ovarioles have germarium, vitellarium, pedicel

Three types of ovariole: panoistic, polytrophic, telotrophic

Oviduct
• Lateral oviduct thin-walled tubes; consist of inner epithelial layer
• Lateral oviduct fused into common/median oviduct medially
beneath the gut more muscular than the lateral oviducts
• Posteriorly, common oviduct is confluent with vagina
 Mitotic site
• Most Produce
Endoptery-
main oocyte
primitive gota;
type Dermaptera;
Hemiptera
Psocoptera;
& Phthiraptera
Coleoptera
Thysanura;
Siphonapte-
ra, some
Tropocyte
mecaptera
form a
synccytium
in the
Lack proximal Tropochyte
trophocytes part of exists in
(nutrititive germarium oocyte
cells/nurse & connect
cells) with each
oocyte by a
trophic
cord
Site for
oocyte Tropochyte
accumulate
yolk
& oocyte
derived
Types of ovarioles from same
Source: Gillot. 2005) oogonium
 STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF THE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Bursa Copulatrix
• Gonopore of oviduct lies on genital chamber which has function as
copulation pouch Bursa copulatrix
• The bursa copulatrix is physically distinct from the oviduct and
opens to the outside via the vulva

• Vagina a narrowed vulva where fertilization take place

Spermatecha
• Reception & store sperm after copulation
• Spermatecha glands attached to spermatecha will supply nutrition
for sperm before released

Accessory Glands (collateral gland)

• Usually open into the bursa; anterior extensions of lateral oviduct
• Secrete egg’s protective layer after fertilization
STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF THE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

• Produce, storage, delivery sperm

• Regulate female receptivity &
fecundity
Function • Supply nutrient for oocyte
development increasing rate &
number of eggs produced

• Paired testes
• Paired vas deferens
• Paired seminal vesicles
Organ • Ejaculatory duct
• Accessory Gland
MORPHOLOGY

Source: Gullan & Cranston, 2010)

Abdominal segment 9 of Aedeagus of a click beetle

the bristletails (Coleoptera)
Machilis variabilis
(Archaeognatha)
Orthoptera

Coleoptera

Diptera

Lepidoptera

Representative Male Reproductive System

(Source: Gillot. 2005)
 Spermatogonia
Earlier Zone
produced by germ cell

Testis lie above/below

gut, comprise a varied
number of tubular
follicles bound together
by a connective tissue
sheath
Spermatogonium
becomes enclosed
within a layer of
somatic cells forming
“cyst” divides
mitotically to form
spermatocytes (640-
256)

Spermatocyte
undergo two
maturation
The follicles may open divisions form 4
into the vas deferens haploid spermatids
either confluently/ in a
linear sequence
Spermatids
differentiate into
flagellated
spermatozoa

(A) Section through testis to show arrangement of follicles;

(B) Zones of maturation in testis follicle
(Source: Gillot. 2005)
 STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF THE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Pyrene (nucleate) fertilize

egg

Lepidoptera

Apyrene (anucleate) assist

& provide nourishment of
Types of sperm pyrene sperm,

Nucleated sperm
Drosophila obscura
(differ in head & length)
 STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF THE
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Mature Stored in seminal

Ejaculatory duct
spermatozoa in vesicles by
connected to
testis vas peristaltic
copulation organ
deferens contraction
 MATING BEHAVIOR

Mate Location & Recognition

Males deposit packages of sperm
onto substrate though at the time no
female may be in the vicinity
Collembola
APTERYGOTES

Females find the sperm package by

chance & take them up into
reproductive tract

Droplets of sperm are placed

Thysanura on the substrate, though only
when a female is present
 MATING BEHAVIOR

Mate Location & Recognition

• Used mostly by many diurnal species
Visual • Movement, color, form and size
• Final determination by
Tactile tactile/olfactory/chemical stimuli
• Ex: Diptera, butterflies, fireflies, Coleoptera
PTERYGOTES

Olfactory • Volatile chemical attractants effect over a

considerable distance
• Pheromones produced by females
Chemical • Employed by diurnal & nocturnal species
• Ex: Lepidoptera

• Useful cues for insects living among grass

• Ex: orthoptera; Gryllidae (male produce
Auditory sounds); Acrididae (both sexes produce
sounds); male of cicadas, katydids, cricket
(sing)
 MATING BEHAVIOR

Courtship mechanism for species recognition

Visual & Tactile • Movement of adorned parts of the

stimulation body (antennae, eyestalks, wings,
ritualized movement “dancing”)
• Rubbing, stroking, grasping
COURTSHIP

• Common in Hemiptera, Orthoptera,

Acoustic
& Plecoptera
courtship
• Use long-range calling (crickets)
• Long-distance call and sing by wing
vibration (Drosophila)

Nuptial gift In predatory insects (food, chemical,

male mates cannibalization)

Secretion liquid/ Inhibiting female’s movement,

pheromone stimulating to mating position
 MATING BEHAVIOR

Sexual Selection
• male’s flash duration & size of
lantern correlated to male’s
spermatophore
fireflies • Female prefer males with longer
Sexual Selection

& larger lantern

Female bush Prefers song of younger male

cricket superior insemination

Females prefer male with large

Dung betles horns as mate defensive
capabilities
 Courtship and
mating in
Mecoptera
(by giving nuptial
gift)
 MATING BEHAVIOR

Copulation
Indirect methods of
copulation male depositing
Apterygote spermatophore for the
COPULATION

female to pick up from the

substrate

Involves physical apposition

of male and female genitalia,
Pterygote
usually followed by
insemination (transfer of
spem via the insertion of
part of male’s penis into
female’s reproductive tract
Posterior ends of a pair of copulating milkweed bugs (Hemiptera)
(Source: Gullan, 2010)
 MATING BEHAVIOR

Post-copulatory Behavior

Antennation/palpation of the female by the

Post-copulatory

male
Female remain passive, enabling
Feeding sperm to be evacuated from the
nuptial gift spermatophore

• Ensure complete transfer of sperm

Mate
or to enable the female to
guarding
oviposit undisturbed
• Contact behavior continued
genital contact (bugs)
• Non-contact behavior remain
close to the female (crickets, flies)
Post-copulatory
behavior
(contact
behavior)
OVULATION & OVIPARITY (EGG-LAYING)

• Most female insect oviparous (lay egg)

1

• Expulsion/movement of an egg from ovary to the oviduct

(ovulation) followed by fertilization oviposition (egg passing
2 from external genitalia opening/vulva to the outside of female)

• Ovulation is controlled by hormones released from the brain

• Oviposition under both hormonal & neural control
3.
 Type of oviposition
(Source: Gullan, 2010)
 MODES OF INSECTS’ REPRODUCTION
Parthenogenesis;
pedogenesis; neoteny

Aseksual Hermaphroditism

Types of Reproduction Polyembryony

Seksual Diploid offspring

EGG STRUCTURE
EGG STRUCTURE
 FERTILIZATION

Egg pass down the median

oviduct & vagina

Sperm enter the egg via

one/more micropyles

The fertilized eggs zygote

give rise to both male & female
(diploid)
FACTOR AFFECTING REPRODUCTIVE EVENT
• Environmental factors

External • Temperature, humidity, photoperiod,

availability of food, suitable egg-laying site

• Nutritional condition

Internal • State of maturation of the oocyte

• Copulation oocyte development,

Behavior
oviposition, inhibition of sexual receptivity in
female
• Fertilization egg activation embryogenesis
Click to add title
 PHYSIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF REPRODUCTION

Influence morphogenesis
and gonad functions

Triggering the functioning

of organ (ovary, accessory
glands, fat body)

Source: Gullan, 2010

CONTROL OF EGG DEVELOPMENT

Source: Gillot, 2005

CONTROL OF EGG DEVELOPMENT

Neuropeptide
hormone

Source: Gillot, 2005

CONTROL OF EGG DEVELOPMENT

Source: Gillot, 2005

CONTROL OF EGG DEVELOPMENT

Source: Gillot, 2005

VITELLOGENESIS & ITS REGULATION

Tropocyte & ovarian Rapid yolk deposition in

follicel pass nutrients to terminal oocyte Fully developed eggs
the growing oocytes (Vitellogenesis)

Fat body vitellogenins

(lipoglycoprotein) vitellin (inside oocyte)
 VITELLOGENESIS & ITS REGULATION

• From corpora allata

Juvenile • Synthesis of vitellogenin
Hormone
HORMONES

• From the prothoracicotropic

Ecdysteroids glands/ovary

• Ovarian ecdysteroidogenic hormone

(OEH) stimulate vitellogenin synthesis
• Antigonadotropins inhibition of egg
development  inhibit synthesis of OEH
Neurohormones and the action of JH prevent ovary
(neuropeptides) accumulating vitellogenin
 ENDOCRINE RELATIONSHIP IN MALE INSECTS
Spermatogenesis is
completed during late
larval/pupal stage 
continue at a low rate after
eclosion

Accessory glands active in

juvenile stages

Synthesis & accumulation of

AG secretion
spermatophore & seminal
fluid formation

Pheromone-producing
glands develop
characteristic behavior
patterns & coloration
endocrine

• JH inhibit sperm
differentiation
• Ecdysone promote
sperm
Source: Gillot, 2005 differentiation
 EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Cleavage & Blastoderm Formation
Embryonic development begins with the first mitotic division
of the zygote nucleus and terminates at hatching

First division occurs (future

head region); activated
either when sperm enter an
egg or when an egg is laid;
synchronous divisions

Nuclei are formed & migrate through
the yolk toward periplasm; each
becomes surrounded by an island of
cytoplasm cleavage energid (six
divisions)
Some energids migrate to
the periphery, some
energids continue to
divide within yolk to form
primary vitellophages

Cell membran form by radial

infolding then tangential
expansion

Monolayer of cells develop

all of the larval body, some
vitellophages/yolk cells
Energids continue to
contribute to the formation
divide
of the midgut
synchronously nuclei
become closely packed
(syncytial blastoderm
stage)
 EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Formation & Growth of Germ Band

Extra-embryonic ectoderm from which the

Blastoderm differentiation
extra-embryonic membranes later
embryonic primordium
differentiate

An area of closely packed

columnar cells from which the
future embryo form)
 EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Formation & Growth of Germ Band
 EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Formation & Growth of Germ Band
 EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Gastrulation, Somite Formation, & Segmentation
POST-EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Growth

Insect growth is discontinuous

Size increase by molting and subsequent ecdysis

Insect development molt increment & intermolt period

Collembola, diplura, apterygote indeterminate growth  molt until die

Most insect determinate growth instar marks the cessation of growth & molting
POST-EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
 POST-EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Molting & Eclosion adult emergence escape from the cuticle of
the previous instar

Triggered by Hemolymph pressure

environmental factors Contraction of increase pupal
By swallowing air
(temperature; abdominal mucles cuticle splits along
increase body volume
photoperiod; force hemolymph ecdysial line on
circadian rhythm) thorax
MOLTING PROCESS
 POST-EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Form of Development/ Life Cycle (Type of Metamorphosis)
 POST-EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Form of Development/ Life Cycle (Type of Metamorphosis)
 POST-EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
Hypermetamorphosis
Larval Stages
Pupal Stages
Adult Stages
 Schematic comparison of endocrine control of
development in hemimetabolous and holometabolous
insects