Reproductive system of cockroach: The reproductive system is responsible for producing both male and female cockroaches. Cockroaches are dioecious or unisexual which means that males and females are presented individually. So let’s talk about the taxonomy of cockroaches first. Cockroaches belong to the animal kingdom Animalia, Arthropoda phylum, class is Insecta and I belong to order Blattodea. Cockroach’s scientific name is Periplaneta Americana.
The cockroach is a nocturnal animal that is active at night time. Let us learn about the well-developed reproductive system of cockroach. The male reproductive system consists of a pair of testes, vas deferens, utricular gland, ejaculatory duct, and phallic gland. The parts that are in the female reproductive system are a pair of ovaries, oviduct, genital chamber, vagina, and colleterial glands. Copulation happens mostly at night times in the summer season. The ootheca is a fertilized egg that hatches into a nymph and gradually grows into an adult through the moulting process.
A well-developed reproductive system is present. The male reproductive system consists of a pair of testes, vas deferens, utricular gland, ejaculatory duct, and phallic gland. Let’s learn the details of these parts.
(i) Testis: A pair of trilobed testis present in the male reproductive system which is inside of the fourth to sixth abdominal segment. One in each.
(ii) Vas-deferens: vas deferens arise from each testis and pass down to connect seminal vesicles. This opens into the ejaculatory duct.
(iii) Seminal vesicles: A seminal vesicle is formed when the vas-deferens dilates; it contains many white sacs, which are used for storing sperms. Sperms are then glued together to form spermatophores.
(iv) Ejaculatory duct: Ejaculatory ducts arise from the two seminal vesicles; during copulation or meeting, spermatophores move down these ducts and open to the outside through the genital pore situated ventral to the anus.
(v) Mushroom gland: The seminal vesicles bear a number of finger-like projections forming characteristic mushroom-shaped glands in the 6th to 7th abdominal segments, which nourish the sperms with their secretions.
(vi) Genital pouch: Genital pouch is located at the end of the abdomen and is formed by tergums 9 and 10 as well as the ninth sternum ventrally. It contains the genital pore, dorsal anus, and gonapophysis.
(vii) External genitalia: The external genitalia is represented by an asymmetrical chitinous structure called the male gonapophysis or phallomere, which surrounds the male gonophore (genital pore).
The female reproductive system consists of the following parts: a pair of ovaries, oviduct, genital chamber, vagina, and colleterial glands, spermatheca, and external genitalia.
The gonapophysis contains three chitinous plates.
Cockroaches are oviparous which means they lay eggs.
These parts are present in the well-developed male reproductive system of cockroach and they are:
Mushroom gland: The seminal vesicles bear a number of finger-like projections forming characteristic mushroom-shaped glands in the 6th to 7th abdominal segments, which nourish the sperms with their secretions.
Genital pouch: Genital pouch is located at the end of the abdomen and is formed by tergums 9 and 10 as well as the ninth sternum ventrally. It contains the genital pore, dorsal anus, and gonapophysis.
Female reproductive system:
The female reproductive system consists of the following parts: a pair of ovaries, oviduct, genital chamber, vagina, and colleterial glands, spermatheca, and external genitalia.
Ovaries – In females, the female reproductive system consists of a pair of ovaries that are located between the 2nd and 6th abdominal segments. Each ovary contains a row of ova in various stages of development within a group of ovarian tubules.
Oviduct and vagina – An oviduct leads from the ovary to the genital cavity. The right and left oviducts form a single median oviduct, also called the vagina, which is connected to the genital chamber.
Spermatheca – A pair of spermatheca located in the sixth segment opens into the genital chamber, and it stores sperm. The left spermatheca is larger and functional, and the right spermatheca is smaller and non-functional.
Genital pouch or chamber – A genital pouch is a boat-shaped structure surrounded by three pairs of chitinous plates supporting copulation and the deposition of the egg. It is formed by the 7th, 8th, and 9th abdominal segments. It has two chambers. Genital atrium smaller chamber opening for the collateral gland, spermatheca, and opening of the common oviduct. Vestibulum is known as the large posterior part.
Collateral gland – these glands are present on either side of a genital chamber into which they open. They help in the formation of egg cases or ootheca. The ootheca is a dark reddish to the blackish-brown capsule which is of 8mm size. They are dropped to a suitable surface which is usually in a crevice nine to ten ootheca are present each containing 14-16 eggs.
Cockroaches reproduce sexually, involving male and female individuals. Fertilization is internal, and females lay eggs in protective cases called oothecae.
The incubation period for cockroach eggs is typically 2–4 weeks, depending on the species and environmental conditions.
Nymphs are immature cockroaches that hatch from the eggs. They resemble smaller versions of adults and go through several molts to reach maturity.
