Ovarian Structure of a Zeuglopteran Moth, Neomicropteryx nipponensis ISSIKI (Lepidoptera, Micropterigidae)

The ovarian structure of a micropterigid moth, Neomicropteryx nipponensis, was studied by light microscopy of sections of resin-embedded ovaries. Each of the paired ovaries was composed of five ovarioles, and each ovariole contained five developing follicles in its vitellarium. The follicle was made up of an oocyte and seven nurse cells surrounded by a single layer of the follicular epithelium. In comparison with the ditrysian Lepidoptera, the follicles of N. nipponensis were characterized by the smallnumber of follicle cells, the large posterior nurse cells and the presence of two large nucleolus-like bodies in the germinal vesicle.