The Eggs of the Bradyporus (Callimenus) dilatatus (Stål, 1875) (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae): Morphological, Histological and Ultrastructural Study

Abstract

The aim of this study is to reveal the fine structure and morphology of the eggs of Bradyporus (Callimenus) dilatatus (Stål, 1875) (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) by using stereomicroscopy, light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). B. dilatatus females produce generally bilateral symmetrical, elongated ovoid eggs. The chorion is composed of three layers named as endochorion, exochorion and extrachorion. Cross sections of all three layers show the chorion has air chambers that connected to each other with canals. The extrachorion layer forms hexagonal or pentagonal surface patterns which is typical to B. dilatatus. The lengths of the boundaries of polygonal patterns become longer with aging.