EXTERNAL MORPHOLOGY (CHORION) OF THE EGGS OF MUGA SILKWORM ANTHERAEAASSAMENSIS (HELFER) AFTER TREATED WITH JUVENILE HORMONE -III AND 20HYDROXYECDYSION

The surface of the chorion of the golden silk producing muga silkworm, Antheraea assamensis,Helfer is covered with polygons in network pattern. The number of aeropyles is variable in both treated and untreated eggs. The micropylar pit are surrounded by 17-19 petal shaped primary cells in treated eggs more or less similar in size and shape whereas in the control, their number was reduced to 15-16. Primary cells were surrounded by secondary cells followed by tertiary and quaternary cells.Hatching of the newly hatched larvae takes place through gnawing. Larvae eat their way out through the chorion membrane mostly from the anterior region. Egg buster or spine which aid in hatching are well developed in the newly hatched larvae.