Dept. of Zoology & School of Entomology, St. John's College, Agra-2, India
Online published on 10 February, 2014.
Silk gland are the modified labial gland.In silk worm larvae they secrete the silk fibre.Growth of the silk glands involves the swelling and increase in size of each of its cells.Size of the silk gland of each instar (I-V) (length and width) of Nistari race was measured using a micrometer superimposed over the gland and calibrated using a stage microme-ter. The morphological values were tabulated and analyzed statistically.
The growth of the silk gland was progressive in each instar of develoment. But in the iv instar stage the growth of the silk glands show a sudden spurt and it atained a maximum size in the v instar stage.
Bombyx mori, larval development, morphology of silk gland, silk gland size, silk gland length, silk gland width, Nistari (NixNi)
