Ovariole Maturation of the Cochineal Insect Dactylopius Coccus (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Dactylopiidae)

Ovarian maturation in insects consists of a series of complicated cellular events that culminates with formation of mature oocytes ready to be fertilized. Dactylopius coccus from which the natural dye carminic acid is obtained, is highly important for industry. Because information on their ovarian maturation is lacking, the aim of this study was to characterize the morphological changes that occurs in their ovarioles during the ovarian maturation of adult females, from newly emerged until their ovaries produced the first mature oocytes, in order to contribute to better understanding of reproductive physiology of this species. The previtellogenesis took place since the newly emerged adult females up to fourth days old. The vitellogenesis takes place from five days old until eleven days old. Finally, the choriogenesis was observed at 13 days old. At this last age the first matured oocytes were observed, thus acquiring the ovaries their maturity; thereby the ovarioles of D. coccus carry out only one gonadic cycle that lasts 13 days.