Histology Of The Male Reproductive Tract Of The Assassin Bug Zeluslongipes (Heteroptera: Reduviidae)

Reduviidae comprises the largest number of land predator species of the Order Hemiptera, including predators of potential pests in agroecosystem areas. Despite the large number of taxonomic and morphological studies of the group, its phylogeny and reproductive strategies have not been elucidated. This work presents the male reproductive system morphology and histology of the assassin bug Zelus longipes aiming to increase the character sources for reproductive biology studies of the group. For this, light microscopy techniques were used. The adult males were collected in a corn crop area in Rio Paranalba, municipality of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The male reproductive system of Z. longipes comprises of a pair of testes, with seven follicles each and cysts at different stages of spermatogenesis, vasa deferentia, two seminal vesicles, pairs of paired and lobed accessory glands, and an ejaculatory duct. When the sperm are mature they leave the testes grouped into bundles and are stored in the seminal vesicles. The accessory glands produce different types of secretions that join the spermatozoa to form the semen. The deferent ducts flow into a single ejaculatory duct.