Reproductive system of an Ischnoceran species, Ardeicola explodes infesting cattle egret (Bibulous ibis)

The morphological features of reproductive tract of an ischnoceran species Ardeicola expallidus infesting Bubulcus ibis are described. The male reproductive system comprises of a pair of testes, two pairs of very small vasa efferentia, a pair of vasa deferentia, vesicular apparatus and ejaculatory duct. Each testis consists of two elongated (pyriform) follicles which lie on lateral sides in 3rd to 8th abdominal segments, on either side of mid-gut. A thin and short vas efferens arises from the base of each testicular follicle and opens in the vas deferens. The vesicular apparatus is a complex organ incorporating the seminal vesicles and the accessory gland. Posteriorly, it opens into a prominent long tube ductus ejaculatorious. The female reproductive system consists of a pair of ovaries, a pair of lateral oviducts, a median oviduct, a vagina and a spermatheca. Each ovary consists of five polytrophic ovarioles located on either side of the gut in first to fifth abdominal segments. The lateral oviducts lying in V-VI abdominal segments are small thick tubes that connect the ovarioles to the median oviduct. Proximal portion of each lateral oviduct receives the pedicel of all the ovarioles of one side. The vagina is a spacious sac like structure, lying just beneath the hind gut, in the 7th abdominal segment. The point of union between the median oviduct and vagina is marked by the opening of spermathecal duct. The spermatheca is thin walled, sac like, situated dorsally above the median oviduct, opening into a very fine duct (spermathecal duct) terminating on the dorsal side of vagina.