Spermathecae morphology in Four Species of Eurydema Laporte, 1833 (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) from Turkey: A Scanning Electron Microscope Study

Abstract

The spermathecae of four species of Eurydema (E. fieberi Schummel 1837, E. oleraceum (Linnaeus 1758), E. ornatum (Linnaeus, 1758), and E. spectabilis Horvath, 1882) were compared using both light and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. All the spermathecae which are examined species are contains spermathecal bulb (reservoir), a pumping region, distal and proximal flanges, proximal and distal spermathecal ducts, dilation of spermathecal duct and a genital chamber with two ring sclerites. Spermathecal bulb shape is changed from oval or oblong (E. fieberi) semi –oblong (E. oleraceum, E. ornatum) ,and semi-spherical (E. spectabilis). Distal and proximal flanges of four species of Eurydema have strongly sclerotized and median spermathecal dilations a resemble balloons and sclerotized rods are present. Generally, in all species proximal spermathecal duct is long with muscular surface.