Relative frequency of reproductive abnormalities in a natural population of Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood (Diptera: Glossinidae) in Zambia

Abstract

AbstractDissection of 2337 female Glossina morsitans morsitans Westw., collected over an 11-month period (118–420 per month) from a game reserve in Zambia, revealed that abortion is a regular feature of tsetse reproductive biology and apparently the most frequent reproductive abnormality in the tsetse population. It occurred among ifies in all ovarian cycles from 1 to 7+4n (minimum age 10–80 days) and apparently involved all pregnancy stages. Neither follicular degeneration nor egg retention was encountered, suggesting that these particular reproductive abnormalities are infrequent in nature.