Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Studies on the Egg Ultrastructure of Some Wild Silk Moths Collected from Meghalaya, North-East India

Scanning electron microscopy of the eggs of nine species of wild silkmoths belonging to the family Saturniidae has been studied. These species include: Samiaricini (Boisduval, 1854), Samiacanningi (Hutton, 1860), Actiasselene (Hubner, 1807), Antheraeaassamensis (Helfer, 1837) A. royleiMoore, 1859, Caligula simla (Westwood, 1847) C. thibeta Westwood, 1853, Leopakatinka Westwood, 1848 and Rhodinianewara Moore, 1872. These eggs of the moths exhibit different colours and shapes and the study revealed the different patterns of structural elements occurring in these silkmoths. The surface of the chorion had a reticulate pattern of pentagonal and hexagonal cells which also differs among the species studied. The present investigation shows oval main cells, aeropyles and micropylar rosette throughout the egg surface.