OOCYTE LENGTH (MM) 
1962] 
Roth and Stay — Cockroaches 
177 
±0.7 days (N= : 35) and the second oviposition occurred 27.8+0.3 
days (N = io) after parturition. 
The ovarian cycle in this species is shown in figure 7. Mating 
shortens the egg maturation period so that the female ovulates at a 
more or less definite time (fig. 3) after copulation (Engelmann, 
i960). It is almost impossible to predict what the extent of oocyte 
development would be in virgins of known age (fig. 8). Only 25 of 
381 mated females failed to oviposit. These were 16 to 40 days old 
when mated and were dissected 30 to 62 days later. Eighteen had 
large degenerating oocytes; 5 had small (1.01 to 1.73 mm.) and 2 
had large but normal appearing oocytes. As Engelmann found mating 
results in the rapid growth of the oocytes (fig. 7). Of the large 
number of virgin females dissected (fig. 8) only 2 had oocytes that 
were degenerating. 
6.4 r 
60 r 
5 .6 r 
5.2 7 
4.8 7 
4.4 j- 
Leucophaea maderae 
00 o 
.0 o c 
00 8 0 
o 
4.0 7 
3.6 r 
3.2 j- 
2 .8 r 
2.4 7 
2.0 7 
1.6 F- 
0.8P 
o o 
0.47 
o 
o = Oocytes, virgin females 
• = Oocytes, mated females 
0.0„ 
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 
AGE OF FEMALE (DAYS) 

80 85 
Fig. 8. Growth of oocytes in mated and virgin females of Leucophaea 
maderae. Each point represents one female. Females were mated when 17 
to 23 days old. 
