Female moths store sperm, from males, in a small sac (corpus bursa). At the time of egg-laying sperms travel from the sac to an egg just before it is laid.
The corpus bursa varies in shape and 'ornamentation' ranging from a simple unadorned sac to one covered in internal spines. In the genus Macaria there is a single star-shaped signum. I am unaware of any data relating to the function of these structures - somewhat baffling as many species lack such signa.
This is a female of Macaria brunneata, a holarctic species.
Signum photo: Nikon MPlan 40x LWD, bellows, D810, Zerene stack.
moth reproductive system
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
moth reproductive system
- Attachments
-
-
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
- rjlittlefield
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23626
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
- Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
- Contact:
Re: moth reproductive system
Very nice! The signum structure is new to me. Thanks for that info.
--Rik
--Rik
Re: moth reproductive system
I guess I never really looked into the function:
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... epidoptera
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... epidoptera
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
Re: moth reproductive system
2nd species, same genus; Macaria signaria
signum appears to have an opening to the body cavity
signum appears to have an opening to the body cavity
- Attachments
-
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
- rjlittlefield
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23626
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:34 am
- Location: Richland, Washington State, USA
- Contact:
Re: moth reproductive system
I wonder if the other one does also, and the difference is a matter of the angle that we're viewing from.
I imagine that stereo views of un-squashed specimens might be helpful in figuring this out.
Does the same distinction appear during dissection, when looking through the scope?
--Rik
Re: moth reproductive system
As they are on the same genus I suspect the structures are very similar.
This latest image is a lateral view of the signum, the earlier image is a surface view.
These structures must be of high significance, no other reason to develop such a relatively complex structure in what is otherwise a simple storage sac.
This latest image is a lateral view of the signum, the earlier image is a surface view.
These structures must be of high significance, no other reason to develop such a relatively complex structure in what is otherwise a simple storage sac.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives