Studies on the reproductive biology

Abstract

Therea petiveriana (L.), the seven white spotted fessorial roach of the scrub jungles of South India is seasonal, univoltine and is very restricted in its distribution. The males emerge earlier than the females, soon after the first rain in summer. The cryptic nymphs are subterranean and the adults are predominantly crepuscular. The males that play the active role in courtship and mating, start the process by the characteristic antennal caressing. Depending on the intensity of receptivity of the relatively passive partner, he spares no time in backing into her genitalia to achieve the end to end position of genital connection. Mated couples go subterranean forthwith. The females choose reasonably wet substratum for resting as well as for ootheca deposition. The ootheca rotation is invariably dextral. Senescent females as well as virgins oviposit single eggs and the number of eggs in each completed ootheca ranges from 12–16. The process of oviposition starts early in the mornings as well as late in the evenings and the oothecae are carried longer when the substratutum remains dry.