H3-Thymidine Radioautographic Study of Spermatogenesis in the Boll Weevil, Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)2

Abstract
The time sequence of spermatogenesis in the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, was studied with H3-thymidine radioautography. The spermatocytes required 10 days to mature into sperm (from the premeiotic DNA synthetic period). Of these, a little more than 4 days is used to reach prophase I, less than 1 day is spent in meiotic division, and more than 5 days is spent in spermiogenesis. The cyst cells, some epithelial cells of the vas deferens, and follicle cells were also labeled with thymidine.