ULTRASTRUCTURAL VARIATIONS IN THE SPERMIOGENESIS OF TRIATOMA-INFESTANS INDUCED BY TEMPERATURE-CHANGES

The reproductive process in insects may be affected by several factors, among which environmental temperature is one of the most important because of the poikilothermic condition of insects. To determine the effect of suboptimal temperature on the spermiogenic process of Triatoma infestans, males were exposed to 12-degrees-C for 10 days. In order to determine the reversibility of such alterations, males were returned to 28-degrees-C for 10 days after exposure to 12-degrees-C. Low temperature caused abnormal changes in the spermiogenic cells such as lack of spermatid orientation, general cyst disorganization, and asynchrony in the development of contiguous cysts. Highly vacuolized areas and pseudomyelinic bodies enclosing isolated or clustered vesicles of different electrodensity were also observed. At the end of the recovery time, cysts with spermatids developed synchronously. However, some presented isolated and clustered vesicles of different size and electrodensity. Some supernumerary organelles were also observed. These abnormal structures were related to processes of autophagy and phagocytosis of degenerating sexual cells.