232 
Psyche 
[December 
percentage of females that oviposited if the females were first fed 
for 2 or 3 days after parturition. 
Effect of partial and complete starvation , and mating , on oocyte 
development following removal of the oothecae at different periods 
of gestation 
Given an adequate diet during gestation and after parturition, an 
additional mating did not affect the rate of oocyte development. If 
oothecae were removed during gestation, the oocytes matured pre- 
maturely. A series of experiments were performed to determine the 
effect, if any, of partial and complete starvation and mating on oocyte 
development in N. cinerea after their oothecae were removed at 
different periods in gestation. The results are shown in tables 1 1 
and 12. Practically all females that were fed continuously oviposited. 
Mating increased the rate of oocyte development, only in females 
whose oothecae were removed 5-6 and 10- 11 days after oviposi- 
tion; mated females oviposited on an average of 3 or 4 days earlier 
than nonmated individuals. Partial starvation (those starved only 
after their oothecae were removed) markedly reduced the number 
of nonmated females that oviposited. Virtually all females that were 
fed for 5-6 and 10-11 days only, and then had their oothecae 
removed and were starved, failed to oviposit if they were not mated 
again. The percentage of ovipositing females that were starved after 
their oothecae were removed 25 - 44 days after ovulation, was lower 
than those fed during the entire experiment. Partial starvation also 
slightly retarded the rate of oocyte development (as indicated by 
time of oviposition) in females whose oothecae were removed prior 
to parturition. Mating increased the percentage of females that 
oviposited in the 4 similar groups whose oothecae were removed 
5-32 days after oviposition. Of 1 10 females starved throughout 
the experiment, only 8 (7%) oviposited after their oothecae were 
removed 5-32 days after oviposition. Of these 1 10 females, 24% 
(including the 8 that oviposited) had yolk in their oocytes when 
dissected (table 12). Of the 46 females in the comparable mated 
group that were starved during the whole experimental period, 18 
(39%) oviposited and an additional 16 females had yolk in their 
oocytes; thus, 74% had yolk in their oocytes after mating. Of the 
28 females that did not oviposit, 16 (57%) still retained their sper- 
matophores when dissected, indicating insufficient amount of corpus 
allatum hormone to affect the spermathecal glands whose secretion 
facilitates extrusion of the spermatophore (Engelmann, 1960a; Roth 
and Barth, 1964). 
