Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T19:21:52.935Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

External morphology of antennal and rostral sensillae in four hemipteran insects and their possible role in host plant selection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2007

Pathipati Usha Rani*
Affiliation:
Biology and Biotechnology Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Taranaka, Hyderabad, 500007, Andhra Pradesh, India
Sunkara Sakuntala Madhavendra
Affiliation:
Biology and Biotechnology Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Taranaka, Hyderabad, 500007, Andhra Pradesh, India
Get access

Abstract

The sensory receptors on the antennal flagellar segments and on the rostral tip of four adult hemipteran insects were identified and compared using scanning electron microscopy in order to better understand the role of sensillae in the process of host plant selection and the structural adaptations of feeding organs for phytophagy. The species studied are Riptortus pedestris Fabricius (Alydidae), Elasmolomus sordidus (Fabricius) (Lygaeidae), Cyclopelta siccifolia Westwood (Pentatomidae) and Chrysocoris purpurea (Westwood) (Pentatomidae). Differences in the distribution and arrangement of sensory receptors in the hemipteran families were noted, especially in the shape of the antennal apices, which are of taxonomical significance. A large array of trichoid basiconic and coeloconic sensillae is distributed on the antennal surface. Distal antennal segments have more sensillae and more types of sensillae than the proximal segments, indicating their prominent role in host plant surface exploration. There is only a slight variation in the shape of the stylets owing to the similarity in feeding habits. The mandibular tips are straight and sharp and do not contain any hooks or barbs as in carnivorous species.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ananthakrishnan, T. N. (1988) Insect–plant interactions – Problems and perspectives, pp. 111. In Dynamics of Insect–Plant Interactions (Edited by Ananthakrishnan, T. N. and Raman, A.) Oxford and IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi.Google Scholar
Avé, D., Frazier, J. L. and Hatfield, L. D. (1978) Contact chemoreception in the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 24, 217227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Backus, E. A. (1988) Sensory systems and behaviours which mediate hemipteran plant feeding: A taxonomic overview. Journal of Insect Physiology, 34, 151165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Backus, E. A. and McLean, D. L. (1982) The sensory systems and feeding behavior of leafhoppers 1. The aster leafhopper, Macrosteles fascifrons Stål (Homoptera, Cicadellidae). Journal of Morphology, 172, 361379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Backus, E. A. and McLean, D. L. (1985) Behavioral evidence that the precibarial sensilla of leafhoppers are chemosensory and function in host discrimination. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 37, 219228.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bromely, A. K., Dunn, J. A., et Anderson, M. (1980) Ultrastructure of the antennal sensilla of aphids. II. Trichoid, chordotonal and companiform sensilla. Cell and Tissue Research, 205, 493511.Google Scholar
Chapman, R. F. (1982) Chemoreception: The significance of receptor populations. Advances in Insect Physiology, 16, 247356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cobben, R. H. (1978) Evolutionary trends in Heteroptera. Part II. Mouthpart structures and feeding strategies. Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen, 1, 7885.Google Scholar
Cobben, R. H. (1979) On the original feeding habits of the Hemiptera (Insecta). Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 72, 711715.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohen, A. C. (1990) Feeding adaptations of some predaceous Hemiptera. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 83, 12151223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dethier, V. G. (1971) A surfeit of stimuli: A paucity of receptors. American Scientist, 59, 706715.Google Scholar
Dethier, V. G. (1982) Mechanism of host plant recognition. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 31, 4956.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dethier, V. G., Larsen, J. R. and Adams, J. R. (1963) The fine structure of the olfactory receptors of the blowfly. In Proceedings of an International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste at the Wenner-Gren. Centre, Stockholm (Edited by Zotterman, Y.) MacMillan Co. New York105110 pp.Google Scholar
Dickens, J. C., Callahan, F. E., Wergin, W. P. and Erbe, E. F. (1995) Olfaction in a hemimetabolous insect: Antennal specific protein in adult Lygus lineolaris (Heteroptera: Miridae). Journal of Insect Physiology, 41, 857867.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foster, S., Goodman, L. J. and Duckett, J. G. (1983) Ultrastructure of sensory receptors on the labium of the rice brown plant hopper. Cell and Tissue Research, 230, 353366.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gaffal, K. P. (1981) Terminal sensilla on the labium of Dysdercus intermedius distant (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology, 10, 16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gaffal, K. P., et Hansen, K. (1972) Mecanorezeptive strukturen der antennalen haar sensillen der baumwoll wanze, Dysdercus intermedius. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung and Mikroskopïsche Anatomie, 123, 7994.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harbach, R. I. and Larsen, J. R. (1976) Ultrastructure of sensilla on the distal antennal segment of adult Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Miridae). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology, 5, 2333.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harbach, R. E. and Larsen, J. R. (1977) Fine structure of antennal sensilla of the adult mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology, 6, 4160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hatfield, L. D. and Frazier, J. L. (1980) Ultrastructure of the labial tip sensilla of the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (P. de Beauvois) (Hemiptera: Miridae). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology, 6, 4160.Google Scholar
Honda, I. Y., Ishikawa, Y., et Matsumoto, Y. (1984) Morphological studies on the antennal sensilla of the onion fly, Hylemya antiqua Meigen (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). Applied Entomology and Zoology, 18, 170181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Levinson, H. Z., Levinson, A. R., Muller, B. and Steinbrecht, R. A. (1974) Structure of sensilla, olfactory perception and behavior of the bedbug, Cimex lectularius in response to its alarm pheromone. Journal of Insect Physiology, 20, 12311248.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Powell, G., Mardie, J. and Pickett, J. A. (1995) Behavioral evidence for detection of the repellent polygodial by aphid antennal tip sensilla. Physiological Entomology, 20, 141146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schafer, R. (1971) Antennal sense organs of the cockroach Leucophaea maderae. Journal of Morphology, 134, 91103.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schneider, D. and Steinbrecht, R. A. (1968) Checklist of insect olfactory sensilla. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London, 23, 279297.Google Scholar
Schoonhoven, L. M., et Henstra, S. (1972) Morphology of some rostrum receptors in Dysdercus spp. Netherlands Journal of Zoology, 22, 343346.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Slifer, E. H. and Sekhon, S. S. (1963) Sense organs on the antennal flagellum of the small milkweed bug, Lygaeus kalmii Stal (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Journal of Morphology, 112, 165193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Slifer, E. H., Prestage, J. T. and Beams, H. W. (1959) The chemoreceptors and other sense organs on the antennal flagellum of the grasshopper (Orthoptera; Acrididae). Journal of Morphology, 105, 145191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Usha Rani, P. and Madhavendra, S. S. (1995) Morphology and distribution of antennal sense organs and diversity of mouthpart structures in Odontopus nigricornis (Stall) [sic] and Nezara viridula L. (Hemiptera). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology, 24, 119132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Usha Rani, P., Wakamura, S., et Asaoka, K. (1994) Rostral tip appendages in carnivorous stink bug, Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Journal of Entomological Research, 18, 199202.Google Scholar
Whitehead, A. T. (1981) Ultrastructure of sensilla of the female mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology, 10, 1928.CrossRefGoogle Scholar