Further Problems in the Interpretation and Homology of the Insect Ovipositor

An attempt is made to re-evaluate the data on the origin of the ovipositor in insects and to explain its mode of development in living forms. Comparative developmental data from other groups of animals is cited to substantiate the claim that part of the insect ectodermal genitalia is appendicular rather than sternal in origin. It is suggested that the primary abdominal segmental appendages have provided a source of competent tissue which through subtle changes in selection, has evolved along many pathways, to form the gonocoxae, the pleuropodia, the pseudoplacenta and perhaps the prolegs in many different taxa.It is shown, by aid of sections through the insect embryo and larval stages, that the primary embryonic segmental appendages on the abdomen, do not differentiate; there is no loss of tissue and it cannot be proven that such appendages have been lost in insect phylogeny. The fact that they are represented still in the modern embryo, indicates that they have been retained. To explain the observable developmental details, it is suggested that abdominal limb histogenesis is arrested or suppressed in normal development, but this limb tissue retains its competence to differentiate. Thus development may be initiated again at a later time in postembryonic life. In this manner, the original limb tissue is available for organ formation in the maturing insect.The study has suggested that the appendages on the eighth and ninth segments of the abdomen initiate but do not complete their development in the polypod embryo. Possibly the potential limb tissue is arrested in development because it has not undergone some vital change as regards its capacity to respond (competence) to an inductor, perhaps the inductor is not available or perhaps it is not available in the correct form.There is evidence to suggest that the developmental capacity of the limb anlagen are reduced with time, so that full limb formation is not possible in postembryonic life: this can explain the development of abdominal coxae in the Thysanura and hence gonocoxae in higher insects. It is noted that should Gustafson's suggestion that the eversible sacs and gonapophyses are homologous with primary segmental genitalic ampullae prove acceptable, then the female ectodermal genitalia in insects would appear to have a dual origin.It is emphasized that the speculation expressed are being subjected to experimental study in an attempt to verify the suggested ontogeny and phylogeny.