Histological structure of the female gonads and ovipositor of the European bitterling,Rhodeus amarus (Bloch, 1782) (Cyprinidae: Acheilognathinae)

We investigated the histological structure of the female gonads and ovipositor of the European bitterling, Rhodeus amarus. The base of the ovipositor was formed by the conical organ or ‘eminence’. Based on the structure of the conical organ, including a special distribution of collagenous and muscular fibrils, a well‐developed vascular system and numerous scyphoid mucous cells in the internal epithelium, this organ was used for temporary storage of oocytes during the spawning period and for their movement along the ovipositor. An extensive network of blood vessels, muscular fibrils and numerous collagenous fibrils in the connective tissue of the ovipositor may make a functional contribution to the ovipositor by making it firmer during egg laying. Mucous cells were detected in the medial and distal regions of the ovipositor, which may play a role in facilitating insertion of the ovipositor into the exhalant siphon of a mussel during oviposition. European bitterling are batch spawners, and the female spawns eggs in clutches at intervals during the breeding season, which were visible as three distinct cohorts of oocytes in the ovary.     

两种小菜蛾寄生蜂产卵器感器的形态和超微结构

半闭弯尾姬蜂和菜蛾盘绒茧蜂是两种重要的小菜蛾寄生蜂.采用扫描电镜对该两种寄生蜂雌蜂产卵器上的感受器的形态和超微结构进行了观察和研究,结果显示半闭弯尾姬蜂和菜蛾盘绒茧蜂的产卵器形态结构基本相同,都是由两个独立的腹产卵瓣和两个愈合在一起的背产卵瓣包围形成产卵道,与其它种类的寄生蜂相似.借背产卵瓣上的脊与腹产卵瓣的沟连锁在一起,腹产卵瓣可以沿背产卵瓣上的脊前后相对滑动.在半闭弯尾姬蜂产卵器上观察到1种钟形感器、2种腔锥感器、浅凹状感器和分泌毛孔.在菜蛾盘绒茧蜂产卵器上同样观察到了这几种感器,但菜蛾盘绒茧蜂产卵器端部的钟形感器突起较狭长,顶部开有气孔.此外菜蛾盘绒茧蜂产卵器上还存在第3种腔锥感器,其中央突起较低而长,表面有网孔.对各种感受器的形态和分布进行了描述,并对其功能进行了探讨,认为半闭弯尾姬蜂的产卵器较细长,且刺突部位有6个倒钩状突起,背、腹产卵瓣上分布更多的感受器,显示出更强的寄主搜寻定位和产卵寄生能力.     

Perception of the oviposition deterring pheromone by tarsal and abdominal contact chemoreceptors in Pieris brassicae

Perception of the oviposition deterring pheromone by contact chemoreceptors in female Pieris brassicae was studied employing a tip recording technique. Electrophysiological responses of tarsal taste hairs to eggwash solutions show a marked increase in frequency of spikes originating from only one sensory cell. This suggests that in foretarsal taste hairs females, apart from the glucosinolate cells also possess sense cells specifically sensitive to the oviposition deterring pheromone.Morphological studies by means of the scanning electron microscope revealed that the ovipositor of P. brassicae is provided with two groups of contact chemoreceptors. Electrophysiological recordings from these sensilla indicate the presence of at least three sensory cells, one of them being a mechanoreceptor. Stimulation with eggwash evokes a slight increase in spike frequency which cannot be ascribed to one particular sense cell. This indicates that abdominal taste hairs in some way may participate in the perception of the oviposition deterring pheromone. Responses to glucosinolates do not differ significantly from control stimulations.

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Résumé Une technique d'enregistrement apical a été utilisée pour examiner la perception d'une phéromone dissuadant la ponte par les poils récepteurs chimiques de contact des femelles de Pieris brassicae. Les réponses électrophysiologiques des poils gustatifs des tarses en présence de solutions de rinçage d'oeufs présentent une fréquence marquée des potentiels d'action provenant principalement d'une cellule sensorielle. Ceci suggère que les poils gustatifs des tarses des pattes antérieures des femelles possèdent, en plus de cellules répondant aux glucosinolates, des cellules sensorielles sensibles spécialement à la phéromone dissuadant la ponte.Des études morphologiques au microscope à balayage révèlent que l'oviposition de P. brassicae est pourvu de deux groupes de chimiorécepteurs de contact. Des enregistrements électrophysiologiques de ces sensilles révèlent la présence d'au moins trois cellules sensorielles, l'une d'entre elles étant un mécanorécepteur. La stimulation avec la solution de rinçage des oeufs évoque un léger accroissement de la fréquence des potentiels d'action qui ne peut être attribué à une cellule sensorielle particulière. Ceci indique que les poils gustatifs abdominaux peuvent participer d'une certaine façon à la perception de la phéromone dissuadant la ponte. Les réponses aux glucosinolates ne diffèrent pas significativement des stimulations témoin.

     

Vetuformosa buckleyi n. gen., n. sp. (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae; Vetuformosinae n. subfam.), a new subfamily of mayflies in Early Cretaceous Burmese amber

A new subfamily, genus and species of mayflies, Vetuformosa buckleyi n. gen., n. sp. (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae; Vetuformosinae n. subfam.), are described as the first representative of the family Baetidae from Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. The female fossil is characterised by unusually long antennae, two pairs of gonostyli representing a primitive appendiculate ovipositor, sensory patches on sternites 8, 9 and 10, protuberances on the egg chorion and the absence of a costal projection on the hind wing. This is the first documentation of such long antennae and a primary ovipositor in the Ephemeroptera.     

Beetles that live with ants (Carabidae,Pseudomorphini, Pseudomorpha Kirby, 1825): A revision of the santarita species group

The Western Hemisphere genus Pseudomorpha Kirby 1825 was last revised by Notman in 1925 based on only a few known species (22) and paltry few specimens (73); other authors have added an additional six species represented by 53 additional specimens since 1925. Baehr (1997) assigned three species from Australia to this genus, albeit in a new subgenus, Austropseudomorpha Baehr 1997. A recent study of collections from throughout the Americas (1757 specimens) has revealed numerous new species that can be arrayed across 19 species groups based on a suite of attributes, some used by Notman and others newly discovered. A taxonomic revision of the species contained in one of these species groups, santarita, is provided herein, as well as a distributional synopsis of the remaining 18 species groups. New species described herein are as follows, each with its type locality: Pseudomorpha huachineras p. n., Arroyo El Cocono, Sierra Huachinera, Sonora, México; P. patagonia sp. n., Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona; P.penablanca sp. n., Peña Blanca Lake, Arizona; P. pima sp. n., Madera Canyon (lower), Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona; P. santacruz sp. n., Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona; and P. santarita sp. n., Santa Rita Ranch, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona.     

Sensory cues and receptors for oviposition by Heliothis virescens

When given a choice of cotton (host) and ground cherry (non host) in a close range situation, Heliothis virescens (F.), the tobacco budworm, depends primarily on contact chemoreception and mechanoreception, and not olfaction or vision, to discriminate between these two plant species for oviposition. Further, in the presence of a certain level of hairiness (the non-host plant, ground cherry, has short capitate hairs), the females are capable of discriminating between these two plants based on contact chemosensory cues, if at least one pair of tarsi is intact. The contact chemosensilla on the ovipositor do not seem to be important for this purpose. These results are discussed in relation to the sensory cues and receptors for oviposition in other Lepidoptera, especially moths.

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Signaux et récepteurs sensoriels intervenant dans la ponte d'Heliothins virescens

Résumé Les différentes récepteurs sensoriels (chimique, mécanique et visuel) des femelles d'H. virescens ont été rendus inactifs par traitement à l'acide, antennotectomie ou peinture des yeux avec un enduit noir du type vernis à ongles, pour étudier le déterminisme sensoriel de la sélection des hôtes lors de la ponte; les papillons avainet le choix entre le coton (Gossypium hirsutum), sur lequel ils pondent normalement, et Physalis angulata sur lequel on n'observe pas de pontes dans la nature. Au laboratoire, à faible distance, le choix de H. virescens dépendait en premier lieu des mécanorécepteurs et des récepteurs chimiques dits de contact (gustatifs), et non de la vision ou de l'olfaction. En présence d'un certain niveau de pilosité (P. angulata possède de courts poils capités), les femelles choisissent les plantes en fonction de la perception chimique dite de contact (gustation) tant qu'une paire de tarses reste intacte. Les sensilles chimiques de l'ovitube ne semblent pas jouer un rôle important à cet égard. La discussion a examiné ces résultats à la lumière des processus sensoriels utilisés par d'autres papillons.

     

The biology and behaviour ofIphiaulax varipalpis [Hymenoptera: Braconidae] as a parasite ofDirphya nigricornis [Coleoptera: Cerambycidae]

The ability of the braconid parasite,Iphiaulax varipalpis Cary to control the beetleDyrphya nigricornis Olivier was evaluated. Field collected samples and specimens reared in polyethylene paper tubes under laboratory conditions (23.0°C±1.0 at 70% r.h) were used. Field parasitism was low (10.72%) while laboratory parasitism was high (57.66%). The parasite detected the hosts very easily in the laboratory. This ability is minimised in thick canopies ofCoffea arabica L. Host colonization was brisk (90 seconds) and confined to a near absolute area of discovery, measuring 4.18±0.41 cm. The parasite reproduces gregariously with female lifespan being approximately double the male period. The parasites are very active at the age of 10 days. As they age their potential fecundity (232 oocytes) reduces drastically with oviposition.      

Beetles that live with ants (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Pseudomorphini): A remarkable new genus and species from Guyane (French Guiana), Guyanemorpha?spectabilis gen. n., sp. n.

Among the extensive collections currently being made in Guyane (French Guiana), adults of a large and colorful species of pseudomorphine were encountered. The adults present, for the first time in the Western Hemisphere, elytra with a marked color pattern, and in addition a size considerably beyond that of the rest of the members of all other known genera in the Western Hemisphere. Both of these attributes, however, are well known in the Australian pseudomorphine fauna. This new species is described and illustrated and a revised key to the Western Hemisphere genera is included. The type locality of Guyanemorpha spectabilisgen. n., sp. n. is Guyane,Risquetout, PK20, 4.916°N, 52.516°W, 12m altitude.     

A Note on Host Detection by Buathra tarsoleuca (Schrank) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), a Parasite of Ammophila sabulosa (L.) and Podalonia affinis (Kirby) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Parasitism by Buathra tarsoleuca (Schrank) of Ammophila sabulosa (L.) and Podalonia affinis (Kirby) nests was studied by means of a frame-by-frame analysis of video recordings obtained in the field. We describe behavioral patterns (with some additional ecological notes) during host detection and provide a schematic diagram for the sequence of events involved in this process. Using scanning electron microscopy, we have found morphological details in the antennae, ovipositor sheaths, and ovipositor of B. tarsoleuca which we suggest are involved in parasitism. The possible parasitism of the same hosts by two other ichneumonid wasps, Cryptus sp. and Meringopus calescens (Grav.), is discussed.     

柑橘大实蝇产卵器的超微结构观察(双翅目：实蝇科)

柑橘大实蝇Bactrocera minax(Enderlein),是柑橘的重要害虫。本文基于光学显微镜、扫描电镜、石蜡切片和透射电镜观察,对柑橘大实蝇的产卵器形态结构进行研究。结果表明,柑橘大实蝇产卵器由产卵器基节、翻缩膜和产卵针3部分组成,翻缩膜是浅黄色的柔软的细长管状结构,又分为骨化带、骨化环和膜质部3部分。骨化带表面有4条褐色的、纵向的、柔软的离散带。骨化环和膜质部表面存在小齿和无齿两种角质化鳞片,鳞片的一端与表皮连接,另外一端处于自由状态,鳞片以覆瓦状包围在骨化环和膜质部表面。骨化带和骨化环弯曲程度极低,而膜质部弯曲程度较大。产卵针由1块背片和2块腹片组成,2块腹片之间、背片与腹片之间与可折叠弯曲的柔性角质层连接。其背片两内侧均存在1个未封闭的圆环,其内部有肌肉(背腹肌)、气管、输卵管和直肠等组织或器官。产卵器上有毛形、腔锥形和钟形3种类型感受器。在产卵器收缩时,首先产卵针折叠在翻缩膜内,然后再一起折叠在基节内。因此,在成虫休息时,产卵器形成了产卵针(内层)、翻缩膜(中间层)和基节(外层)3个腹节的套叠。柑橘大实蝇的产卵器是伪产卵器,其结构或组织经过进化,从而适应其伪产卵器的外...