Isolated cell type corpora allata in adults of the loreyi leafworm,Leucania loreyi duponchel (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The corpora allata in adult Loreyi leafworms Leucania loreyi (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) exhibit sexual dimorphism. The male possesses right and left corpora allata of about the same size. Each gland is composed of a cluster of approximately 40 semi-transparent, spherical, isolated cells held together by fine tracheae and nerve fibers. The largest cell diameter found in male glands was 203 pm. In contrast, the female gland cells and clusters are much smaller. The largest dimensions of one whole female gland cluster were 452 μm in length and 280 μm in width. Using bilateral and unilateral larval allatectomy, we confirmed that the adult isolated cell type glands develop ontogenetically from larval capsular type glands. Ultrastructural study re- vealed many similarities between the subcellular structures of the isolated cell type glands of L. loreyi and the more common capsular gland reported by others. These similarities include very large numbers of mitochondria, abun- dant whorled smooth endoplasmic reticulum, irregularly shaped nuclei, Golgi bodies, and free ribosomes. Compared with the corpora allata of 3- to 9-day-old adults, the glands of 1-day-old adults possessed much less smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The gland cells in females usually have more neurosecretory nerve endings, less-abundant stacked smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and less- defined interdigitations than the gland cells in males. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.