caa a22 4500 445840617 CHVBK 20180317145343.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170323e20111001xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s00709-010-0245-2 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00709-010-0245-2 Modifications in the oviducts of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae) with different ages [Elektronische Daten] [José Serrão, Amanda Naves, José Zanuncio] The study of morphological features of highly eusocial bees has helped to answer a series of questions concerning their biology. The labor division places the females into two castes, queen with reproductive function and worker with a wide variety of tasks. However, in different species and under different conditions, workers can develop ovaries and lay trophic eggs that are eaten by the queen or used to originate males. In this work, the development of the oviducts was monitored in workers and virgin queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides specimens of different ages to verify whether there is permanent sterility of these queens and workers due to aging. Lateral and common oviducts of virgin queens aged <7, 10, 15, 20, and 25days old, physogastric queens, nurse, and forager workers were analyzed for histology and ultrastructure. Although the structural organization of the lateral and common oviducts were very similar, differences in width of the cuticle and the degree of chromatin condensation were observed, indicating differences in the development of this organ of the reproductive system between the castes. It was also demonstrated that electron-lucent vesicles appear to be related to the formation of the cuticle that lines the oviducts. Because no cellular death characteristics were found, it can be inferred that the absence of mating of the queens as old as of 25days of age does not cause permanent sterility. Springer-Verlag, 2010 Caste nationallicence Morphology nationallicence Reproductive tract nationallicence Stingless bee nationallicence Zoology nationallicence Serrão José Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil aut Naves Amanda Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil aut Zanuncio José Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil aut Protoplasma Springer Vienna 248/4(2011-10-01), 767-773 0033-183X 248:4<767 2011 248 709 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-010-0245-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-010-0245-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Serrão José Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Naves Amanda Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Zanuncio José Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Protoplasma Springer Vienna 248/4(2011-10-01), 767-773 0033-183X 248:4<767 2011 248 709 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer