Developmental stages of the hooded beetle Sericoderus lateralis (Coleoptera: Corylophidae) with comments on the phylogenetic position and effects of miniaturization

Polilov, Alexey A.; Beutel, Rolf G.

doi:10.1016/j.asd.2009.08.005

Cited by 47 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The tentorium of Megaphragma differs from those of the majority of large hymenopterans in the absence of the dorsal arms. They are also absent in Trichogramma [10], the mymarid Anaphes [29], and many miniaturized beetles [30, 31, 32, 33]. A peculiar feature of Trichogrammatidae is the hypertrophy of the mesophragma, which is deeply sunk into the body and reaches the middle of the metasoma in Trichogramma and almost the apex of the metasoma in Megaphragma .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other microhymenopterans, thrips, and psocopterans display less pronounced oligomerization and concentration of ganglia of the central nervous system [10, 38]. In microcoleopterans all ganglia (including those of the head and metasoma) are more strongly fused or concentrated and partly or completely shifted into the mesosoma [31, 35]. The number of neurons in Megaphragma is strongly reduced, as in all other studied microinsects [15, 39].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Anatomy of adult Megaphragma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), one of the smallest insects, and new insight into insect miniaturization

Polilov

2017

PLoS ONE

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The body size, especially in cases of extreme reduction, is an important characteristic that strongly determines the morphology, physiology, and biology of animals. Miniaturization is a widespread trend in animal evolution and one of the principal directions of evolution in insects. Miniaturization-related features of insect morphology have been subject to intensive studies during the last few years, but the structure of the smallest insects remains insufficiently known. It is especially important to study hymenopterans of the genus Megaphragma, which include the smallest flying insects and a species in which an almost anucleate nervous system was recently discovered. This article is the first detailed study of the external and internal morphology of adults of Megaphragma mymaripenne and M. amalphitanum using histological methods, 3D computer modeling and other techniques. It is shown that in spite of the extremely small size the organization of Megaphragma retains a considerkable level of structural complexity. On the other hand, miniaturization leads to re-organizations of several organ systems. Unique structural features related to miniaturization have been found in both species: lysis of cell bodies and nuclei of neurons at late stages of pupal development, absence of the heart, and considerable reductions in the set of muscles. Comparative analysis of structure in the smallest insects representing different taxa has revealed common features of the evolutionary process of miniaturization in insects.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anatomy of adult Megaphragma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), one of the smallest insects, and new insight into insect miniaturization

Polilov

2017

PLoS ONE

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“…In contrast, there are detailed volumetric brain studies of particular beetle (Coleoptera) or Strepsiptera species with extremely small body sizes [e.g. Beutel et al, 2005;Grebennikov, 2008;Polilov, 2008;Polilov and Beutel, 2010], but there are no data for closely related large-bodied forms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Allometry of Brain Miniaturization in Ants

Seid¹,

Castillo²,

Wcislo³

2011

Brain Behav Evol

102

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Extensive studies of vertebrates have shown that brain size scales to body size following power law functions. Most animals are substantially smaller than vertebrates, and extremely small animals face significant challenges relating to nervous system design and function, yet little is known about their brain allometry. Within a well-defined monophyletic taxon, Formicidae (ants), we analyzed how brain size scales to body size. An analysis of brain allometry for individuals of a highly polymorphic leaf-cutter ant, Atta colombica, shows that allometric coefficients differ significantly for small (<1.4 mg body mass) versus large individuals (b = 0.6003 and 0.2919, respectively). Interspecifically, allometric patterns differ for small (<0.9 mg body mass) versus large species (n = 70 species). Using mean values for species, the allometric coefficient for smaller species (b = 0.7961) is significantly greater than that for larger ones (b = 0.669). The smallest ants had brains that constitute ∼15% of their body mass, yet their brains were relatively smaller than predicted by an overall allometric coefficient of brain to body size. Our comparative and intraspecific studies show the extent to which nervous systems can be miniaturized in taxa exhibiting behavior that is apparently comparable to that of larger species or individuals.

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“…[8]; [9]; [10]; [11]), whereas internal structures of the postcephalic body are largely unknown. The presently available anatomical knowledge is restricted to a study focussed on the nervous system of the mealworm Tenebrio molitor [12], one on an extremely miniaturised ptiliid larva [13], and one on the larva of the corylophid Sericoderus [14]. The morphological findings will be discussed with respect to the unclear phylogenetic affinities of Meloidae within Tenebrionoidea, and the position of Lytta within the family.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another aim was to evaluate effects of miniaturisation in the small and slender triungulin larvae, following a series of recent studies on this topic using various groups of beetles but also other groups of insects (e.g. [13]; [14]; [15]; [16]). The third aim is to evaluate effects of a parasitic lifestyle on the morphology of the triungulins, also focussing on parallelisms with other parasitic groups with hypermetamorphosis, such as for instance Rhipiphoridae or Strepsiptera.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The First Complete 3D Reconstruction of a Spanish Fly Primary Larva (Lytta vesicatoria, Meloidae, Coleoptera)

Wipfler‍

Pohl

et al. 2012

PLoS ONE

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The first detailed anatomical study of a primary larva of Meloidae is presented. Thereby techniques such as three-dimensional reconstructions, microtome sections, SEM (scanning electronic microscopy) and CLSM (confocal laser scanning microscopy) are applied. The structural features are discussed in the context of phylogeny, but also possible correlations with parasitism, phoresy and miniaturisation. The triungulin first instar larva is likely an apomorphy of Meloidae excl. Eleticinae and linked with a specialisation on acridoid eggs or larvae and provisions of bees. The campodeid body shape of Lytta and Meloinae is a groundplan feature of Meloidae, whereas a navicular body is an autapomorphy of the generally phoretic larvae of Nemognathinae. Head structures of Lytta and features of the postcephalic body are largely plesiomorphic. The musculature of the head is only moderately simplified while the one of the postcephalic body is well developed. Its thorax is largely characterised by plesiomorphies. The characteristics of the legs suggest phoretic habits, even though this does not apply to larvae of Lytta. It is conceivable that a phoretic behaviour is secondarily lost, together with some but not all morphological modifications related to it. Derived features of the abdomen of Meloidae are the complete loss of the fixed urogomphi (also missing in Rhipiphoridae and other related groups) and the presence of one or two conspicuous caudal bristles. Only few features of Lytta are shared with the parasitic larvae of Rhipiphoridae and Strepsiptera. These characteristics, which are possibly linked with specialised life habits, have obviously evolved independently. Miniaturisation effects are minimal in the larvae of Lytta.

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Developmental stages of the hooded beetle Sericoderus lateralis (Coleoptera: Corylophidae) with comments on the phylogenetic position and effects of miniaturization

Cited by 47 publications

References 28 publications

Anatomy of adult Megaphragma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), one of the smallest insects, and new insight into insect miniaturization

Anatomy of adult Megaphragma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), one of the smallest insects, and new insight into insect miniaturization

The Allometry of Brain Miniaturization in Ants

The First Complete 3D Reconstruction of a Spanish Fly Primary Larva (Lytta vesicatoria, Meloidae, Coleoptera)

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