Ovariole Numbers in two Puerto Rican Oedionychina (Coleoptera)

Abstract

Two Puerto Rican fleabeetles, Alagoasa bicotor (L.) and Omophoita cyanipennis F., have telotrophic ovarioles, in which one oocyte at a time suffers vitellogenesis. The process is simultaneous in all ovarioles. All mature eggs are laid in one ovipositional action, usually in one cluster. One female is capable of producing and laying, at intervals, several such clusters. The shortest interval between two ovipositions was found to be three days. A. bicolor has 8 to 12 (mean, 9.85), and O. cyanipennis 12 to 19 (mean, 16.15) ovarioles per ovary. The difference is statistically significant and reflects genetic adaptation to different ecological niches. No significant difference was found between the ovariole numbers of the left and the right ovary of these species.