A POSSIBLE MECHANISM FOR THE REGULATION OF THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE IN TENEBRIO MOLITOR (COLEOPTERA: TENEBRIONIDAE)

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Abstract
Ventral nerve cord severence in newly emerged females of Tenebrio molitor L. resulted in a rate of oocyte production significantly higher than in normal, mated females and much higher than in intact virgins. This suggests that some nervous, inhibitory factor normally controls oocyte production. Mating partially suppresses this inhibitory mechanism, but the higher rate of oocyte production in females with severed nerve cords indicates that the inhibitory mechanism is exercising some control over oocyte production at all times. A sequence of events in the control of oocyte production in Tenebrio is proposed.