ROLE OF THE CORPORA CARDIACA IN THE BEHAVIOR OF SATURNIID MOTHS. II. OVIPOSITION

¹ The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

1. In females of the Cecropia silkmoth, mating stimulates the rate of egg deposition.

2. When virgin Cecropia are mated to castrated males, they receive an apparently normal spermatophore except that it lacks sperm. Such females show an oviposition pattern corresponding to that of unmated females. Thus, the normal increase in oviposition rate is triggered by the reception of sperm by the female.

3. The corpora cardiaca are shown to be involved in this change in oviposition rate. After the corpora allata are removed from female pupae, the resulting moths respond normally to insemination. After removal of the corpora allata-corpora cardiaca complexes, the ovipositional response to mating is effectively abolished. Reimplantation of up to 5 pairs of corpora allata-corpora cardiaca complexes into pupae lacking their own complexes does not restore the normal oviposition pattern.

4. It is concluded that the increase in oviposition rate is due to a hormone which is produced by the intrinsic cells of the corpora cardiaca. By an apparent reflex mechanism, the presence of sperm in the female's spermatheca causes the brain to trigger the release of the hormone in question from the corpora cardiaca.

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