JUVENILE-HORMONE EFFECTS ON SPILOSTETHUS- PANDURUS (HEMIPTERA, HETEROPTERA) VITELLOGENESIS

The effects of juvenile hormone (JH) on the control of vitellogenin ap pearance in the haemolymph of Spilostethus pandurus newly emerged fema les have been studied as well as their intake by developing oocytes. S DS-PAGE electrophoresis has been used as an analytical method for prot ein studies. JH induced early detection of vitellogenins in the haemol ymph of treated insects and their accelerated incorporation by undevel oped ovaries. The results suggest that JH plays an essential role as a gonadotrophic agent, just as it has been described for other insect s pecies.