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Summary
In females of the cricket Teleogryllus commodus Walker the paired accessory sex glands are characterized by an irregular shape due to numerous ramifications of various length. Each gland consists of a basal, middle, and apical region within which the epithelium is uniformly built up by an inner cuticular intima, one layer of gland cells with basal-situated nuclei, and a basal lamina. In the direct vicinity of the gland's orifice, the epithelium is surrounded by a coat of longitudinal and circular muscle fibres which control the delivery of the secretory material into the genital chamber. In all three regions of the gland, the cuticular intima is marked by hair-like processes of unknown function which are mainly oriented in the direction of the orifice. As a special feature the intima does not show any channel-like structures or breaks facilitating the transport of secretory material into the lumen of the gland. Additionally, the cuticular layer is folded into the gland cell sporadically and thinned out considerably at those regions. In the apical and middle region of each gland the basal cell membrane shows numerous in-foldings forming a widespread lacunar system. The secretory activity of the gland cells starts 5–6 days after adult moult. The produced material is supposed to permeate the cuticular mainly at those regions where its thickness is reduced to a minimum. Regarding the development of the accessory glands, morphological changes caused by an increasing volume of the gland cells as well as ultrastructural alterations due to an augmentation of the compartments important for secretory activity are observed.