The ootheca of Libyaspis flavosparsa (Montandon) (Heteroptera: Plataspidae), with a review of ootheca-production in Heteroptera and other Insecta

Parental care behaviours including the defence of oviposited eggs are common strategies to increase the fitness of offspring in animals. Among insects, Hemiptera, the true bugs (Heteroptera) and allies, show a wide range of such strategies. Females of some heteropteran species in the family Plataspidae, in addition to standard maternal care of eggs and early instar nymphs, provide protection of eggs by forming an ootheca, a complex structure coating the egg batch. Although not homologous across the insect taxa in which oothecae occur, structures referred to as oothecae are relatively common in insects, but the literature has so far not been summarized comprehensively. The goals of the present study are twofold. First, we provide a detailed description of the egg and ootheca of the tropical plataspid species Libyaspis flavosparsa (Montandon). The oothecal material of Plataspidae originates from a modified epithelium of the midgut thus represents a unique situation within all insects. Second, the known occurrences of oothecae in Insecta are summarized and discussed. This study provides a basis for future investigations both into the ootheca in Heteroptera and in other insects.