Effect of thiourea on the histopathology and the reproductive performance of the male flesh fly Sarcophaga ruficornis (Fabr.)

Abstract

When newly emerged and 24‐hour‐old male flesh flies Sarcophaga ruficornis (Fabr.) were fed on food containing 1.5% thiourea for 24 h, there was a small decrease in the size of the testes in both cases. Disturbance in spermatogenesis and histopathological damage were also observed in both cases. However, in the newly emerged flies the effect was mainly on secondary spermatocytes and spermatids, while in the others the effect was more pronounced on spermatogonia. The reproductive performance in respect of the production of larvae was considerably diminished in the newly emerged treated flies and was even further diminished in flies that were 24 h old when treated. The rate of adult emergence, however, remained unaffected for both kinds.