Effect of different light diets on the morphometric changes of the testicles and bursa copulatrix of Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Insects are influenced by many biotic and abiotic factors. Light is one of the environmental factors that affect not only the growth and development of the moth, but also the morphology of their internal and external organs. Regarding the mentioned effect, aim of the present study is to investigate light diets on the morphometric changes of male and female reproductive organs (testes and corpus bursa) of flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Based on the results, the largest testicular length on a millimeter scale (mean= 1.034± 0.01SEM, n= 30) and the largest area of corpus bursa on a millimeter scale (mean= 1.44±0.01SEM, n= 30) was recorded under the alternating light and dark condition (12L: 12D). The obtained results suggest that different light diets can affect the sperm release and reproductive processes of moth by changing the morphometric of different parts of the reproductive system in both male and female.