Within the testicular follicles of

Within the testicular follicles of D. baccarum are three development zones (Fig. 3), (a) the growth zone, where groups of spermatogonia become separated from the germarium and form into spherical clusters. These groups of cells become enclosed by several cells which form the wall of the sperm cyst (Fig. 5a and b).Spermatogonia increase and allowing the occurrence of mitosis and differentiation into spermatocytes. (b) The maturation zone, where two meiotic divisions occur and, these cells become spermatids
(Fig. 6a and b). (c) The differentiation zone, where spermatids enlarge and change shape thus forming spermatozoa (Fig. 7a and b).The spermatozoa are contained in cysts which are grouped together in bundles (Fig. 7b) and from which the spermatozoa are liberated.Spermatozoa were observed in the lumen of the vas deferens of mature males (Fig. 9a and b). During this period the heads of the sperm at the apex of the cyst are directed toward the germarium.Mechanisms of spermatogenesis, including sperm production,are similar to other Pentatomidae (Bowen, 1922; Davis, 1955;Engelmann, 1970; Chapman, 1998; Pires et al., 2007; Rodrigues Agna et al., 2008). The number of spermatids/spermatozoa per cyst,which is determined by the number of cell divisions, is constant for each species, but may vary from species to species. This number has been used in taxonomic keys in Hymenoptera (Zama et al., 2007;Lino-Neto et al., 2008) and could prove useful in Heteropteran taxonomy.