ANATOMY OF THE FEMALE INTERNAL GENITALIA EXAMINED IN DITRYSIA OF 13 FAMILIES (LEPIDOPTERA) Study deals with 29 species and is based on inseminated females. These were recognized from the presence of a very dense mass of sperm in their spermatheca. Spermatozoa did usually fill the receptacle and occupied also the duct of the spermathecal gland in some species; in Lycaenidae they were found also in the distal enlargement of the spermathecal duct. No trace of sperm was found in the spermatophore

more »

... roughout, except in a minor number of Tortrix viridana females. In most families, copulatory pouch included only 2 regions: the corpus bursae and the copulatory channel. A third region, namely the caput bursae, was found in all Pieridae. Shape of the corpus bursae is usually supported by its content, which included one spherical or ellipsoid spermathophore; in Rhodometra sacraria (Geometridae) and Noctuidae, it does depend on the rigid integument of the bursa itself. Multiple spermathophore does seemingly arise from a single mating: examples of it are the snakelike item of Noctuidae and the superabundant spermatophore of Syntomis phegea (Syntomidae). Copulatory channel is entirely sclerotized and pipe-like in a minor number of species; elsewhere, it is supported by a sclerotized section, which surrounds the copulatory orifice. Signum was usually represented by a single sclerite; otherwise, it included either 2 symmetrical sclerites or 3 items in Syntomis phegea (Syntomidae). Although it is reported in the literature as the typical sclerite of Ditrysia, only 18 species out of 29 examined are provided with it. Seminal channel is present everywhere; it is lined by soft cuticle and bears a powerful muscular sheath; according to species, it connects to the copulatory channel as follows: (a) near the copulatory orifice; (b) at the distal end of the sclerotized channel; (c) within a membranous window of the latter. Spermathecal regions of every species are: (I) the duct; (II) the receptacle; (III) the gland. A further region, ( [...]