Hi, today we are going to discuss male and female reproductive system of cockroaches but we have discussed the alimentary canal of cockroach, anatomy of cockroach, circulatory respiratory and excretory system of cockroach if we want you to read them. Cockroaches are dioecious animals so male and female are different and their reproductive system also different in structure and function.
Table of Contents
Male Reproductive System of Cockroach:
Main part of male reproductive system of cockroaches is lobular testis which present in the 4th, 5th and 6th segment in the abdomen. Another part of male reproductive system of cockroach is mushroom glands or utricular gland which further have two types of structure one slender tubular like structure utriculi majores and another one is utriculi breviores which form the major part of the utricular gland.
Several seminal vesicles also present near the utricular gland of male reproductive system of cockroaches. Sperm present in seminal vesicles in the form of a group called spermatophore which have three layers which gives the sperm protective covering.
The three layers formed by secretion of three different glands, outer layer formed by the secretion of phallic gland or conglobate gland, middle layer secreted by ejaculatory duct while the inner layer secreted by utriculi majores.
Male external genitalia are formed by three chitinous plate-like structures called phallomeres which are also known as male ganopophytes. The largest phallomere is left phallomere, the smallest plate-like structure in external genitalia is ventral phallomere while the third phallomere is right phallomere.
Female Reproductive System of Cockroach:
Different major parts of the female reproductive system of cockroaches are ovaries, oviduct, genital chamber, ovipositor processes or female ganopophysis, collaterial glands and vagina. Ovaries is a group of eight ovarios and present in the 2nd to 6th abdominal segment.
From each ovary, an oviduct arises and then they join to form a common oviduct or vagina which again opens into genital chamber. Right collaterial glands and left collaterial glands also open in genital chamber along with common oviduct.
Genital chamber is the extension of genital pouch or gynatrium which is present in the front side while the hind part of genital pouch is the oothecal chamber. Three pairs of chitinous structures are present in genital chamber which hang from the roof of the oothecal chamber.
Collaterial glands secrete a special protein which forms a structure called ootheca which contains sixteen fertilized eggs.
Different Stages in Reproduction of Cockroach:
Development of cockroaches is Indirect type which implies that their life history processes several intermediate stages between eggs and mature cockroaches.
Nymph:
Nymph is not almost similar to that of an adult cockroach because their structure is the same as that of an adult cockroach. Nymphs do not have wings as that of an adult cockroach and their reproductive system is not mature so they are not capable of reproduction.
Instar:
Like other members of arthropoda cockroaches also show large stages in their life cycle called instar like larval instar, nymphal instar. Instar stage is a major time taking stage in the life cycle of cockroaches and the time interval between two moults in cockroach and other insects is known as a stadium.
How many times a larva undergoes moult depends upon the species of cockroach like periplaneta americana moult 13 times to reach at adult stage while another species of cockroach blatta orientalis moult 6 times to reach at mature stage.
Metamorphosis in Cockroach:
Metamorphosis represents various stages in the life cycle of cockroaches before they attain the adult stage which is also present in almost all insects’ life history. Metamorphosis occurs in cockroaches and other insects with the help of various hormonal secretions like ecdysone secreted by prothoracic gland and juvenile hormone secreted by corpora allata.
Reference: Male Female Reproductive System of Cockroach
Read More: Anatomy of Cockroaches
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