Influence of diapause and diet on the development of the gonads and accessory reproductive glands of the black blowfly, Phormia regina (Meigen)

Abstract

Aspects of the reproductive biology, including mating, vitellogenesis, and development of the accessory reproductive glands, of both male and female Phormia regina were investigated. Non-diapausing adults showed changes in the female ovaries, plus in the fat body and accessory reproductive glands of both sexes, that correlated with major reproductive events. The changes in these structures were influenced by diet and diapause-inducing conditions. The importance of protein in the diet of non-diapausing, cyclorrhaphous females is well documented; consequently, emphasis has been placed on the significance of protein in the diet of non-diapausing males and its function in development of the accessory reproductive glands.