COMPARATIVE-STUDIES ON NUMBER AND POSITIO N OF THE MICROPYLES AND THESHAPE OF THE EGGS OF SAGA PEDO, S-NATOLIAE AND S-EPHIPPIGERA (ORTHOPTERA, TETTIGONIIDAE)

The geometric shape of eggs of 3 species of Saga is described as a bod y of revolution, characterized by the median section, which is an elon gated oval. The egg-shape, the number and the position of the micropyl es are typical for every species. For the obligatory parthenogenetic S aga peda the % of eggs without micropyles is fairly high (27% of all e ggs); if micropyles occur at all, they are exclusively concentrated in a very limited area on the upper side of the egg. In contrast, every egg of the investigated bisexual species S. natoliae and S. ephippiger a has developed micropyles. Up to a species-specific minimal quantity, these are situated on the upper side of the egg only, but with increa sing numbers, they occur both on the upper side and on the lower side of the egg. The presence of structures without function, like micropyl es in the eggs of Saga pedo, is regarded and discussed as a phylogenet ic reminiscence.