Fine structure of the male accessory glands of Triatoma rubrofasciata (De Geer, 1773) (Hemiptera, Triatominae)

Abstract

Male of Triatoma rubrofasciata has four elongated sac-like reproductive mesodermic accessory glands, lined by an inner single layer of secretory cells, with basal plasma membrane infolds and short apical microvilli, and externally enveloped by a thin visceral muscle layer. The secretory cells have a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, mitochondria, and secretory granules. In one day old adult the gland cells are poorly developed, presenting small, electron-transparent secretory granules scattered among the rough endoplasmatic reticulum, whereas in three days old adult these cells have the cisternae of the rough endoplasmatic reticulum varing size degree, filled with granular electrondense content. In five days old males the secretory granules increase in diameter, being released to the gland lumen. Therefore, there is an increase of the secretory activity according to male maturation.

Male reproductive system structure and accessory glands ultrastructure of two species of Triatoma (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae)

“…The morphology of the adult male reproductive system of T. brasiliensis and T. melanica is similar to the one observed in other species of Triatoma, with a pair of testes, two vas deferens, two seminal vesicles, four pair of accessory glands and one ejaculatory duct (Barth, 1958;Gonçalves et al, 1987;Freitas et al, 2007aFreitas et al, ,b, 2008. The four male accessory glands of both species have mesodermal origin because they have no cuticular intima lining the gland lumen (Leopold, 1976;Dallai et al, 1999;Marchini et al, 2003).…”

“…Morphological characters studies of male reproductive system, has been made in several insect species, resulting in considerable progress with histological, ultrastructural and cytochemical studies of the structures that make up this organ (Forbes and Do-Van-Quy, 1965;Bairati, 1968;Louis and Kumar, 1971;Bahadur, 1975;Wheeler and Krutzsch, 1992;Ferreira et al, 2004;Mikheyev, 2004;Lemos et al, 2005;Freitas et al, 2007a).…”

“…In Triatoma rubrofasciata (De Geer, 1773) the accessory glands show changes in ultrastructural features related to insect age, showing secretory granules with different sizes, shape and electron density in the gland cells (Freitas et al, 2007a).…”

“…The testes present seven testicular follicles, with different length among genera and species (Gonçalves et al, 1987;Freitas et al, 2007bFreitas et al, , 2008. In this set of four accessory glands each one is classified in anterior, external, internal and dorsal pairs which open together forming a hilus from which arises a common gland duct that opens into the ejaculatory duct (Barth, 1958;Freitas et al, 2007a).…”

The morphology and histology of the male reproductive system in Dolycoris baccarum Linnaeus 1758 (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)—Light and scanning electron micoscope studies

“…Functions of these secretions are to facilitate sperm transfer, to further insemination, and to alter the behavior of the female (Pendergrast, 1956;Leopold, 1976;Kubli, 2003;Chapman, 1998;Freitas et al, 2007).…”