ANATOMY AND HISTOLOGY OF THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF Boophilus microplus (ACARI: IXODIDAE)

Abstract

The knowledge of the anatomy and histology of the female genital system in ticks is very important as a basic tool in all species in relation to morphological sciences and evolution, physiological events like ovulation, sexual behavior, maturation and mating, and also to research the interrelation tick-hemoparasite. The anatomy and histology of the female genital system in Boophilus microplus are scarcely studied. In the present paper, the female genital system of this tick has been considered as a whole and morphological and functional interrelations between different structures and also some other related items has been presented. Unfed and partially engorged females were employed in the study. The quality and resolution of images are remarkable because of the improvement by authors of a histological technique specially for arthropods.