Improved Visualization ofAlphitobius diaperinus(Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)—Part II: Alimentary Canal Components and Measurements

Abstract

Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is a pest of stored food products and problematic to every type of poultry production facility. Larvae and adults can ingest and harbor foodborne and poultry pathogens. Determining the efficiency of this insect's capacity to transmit disease is critical to improving management of A. diaperinus on poultry facilities and providing a safe food supply for human consumption. However, a deficiency exists in the literature reporting measurements of the gut and its defined segments. Previous reports include line drawing depictions, which aid little in the determination of the pathogen reservoir potential of these insects. Advances in technology allowed more accurate visualization and precise measurement of gross anatomical features of the alimentary canal. A photographic depiction to aid the researcher in the visualization of anatomical features and accurate measurements of the alimentary canal for these insects is presented here.

The lesser mealworm Alphitobius diaperinus: a noxious pest or a promising nutrient source?

“…Its omnivorous feeding habits, allow A. diaperinus to feed on dead or dying poultry, faeces, feed and other organic materials present in the litter, rendering it an efficient reservoir and a prime candidate for participating in the transmission of poultry pathogens. The sex of the beetles and larvae, as well as the size of the alimentary canals may affect its reservoir capacity and pathogen transmission potential (Crippen & Esquivel ; Esquivel et al . ).…”

Gender identity and sexual experience affect mating behaviour and chemical profile in the lesser mealworm,Alphitobius diaperinus(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

“…Individuals of this species grow in the chicken litter, within a mixture of wasted feed, faeces and feathers. They can structurally damage the poultry houses (1,(4)(5)(6)(7), which generates economic losses. They also act as vectors of several viral (8,9), fungal (10)(11)(12) and bacterial (13)(14)(15)(16) diseases, which can cause poultry weight loss and even death (3,(17)(18)(19).…”

“…Individuals of this species grow in the chicken litter, within a mixture of wasted feed, faeces and feathers. They can structurally damage the poultry houses (1,(4)(5)(6)(7), which generates economic losses. They also To achieve sexual reproduction, insect adults develop a set of behavioural displays (i.e., mating behaviour), which involves partner recognition, courtship, and copulation (44,63,64).…”

A novel method for sexing live adult Alphitobius diaperinus

“…It acts as a mechanical vector of bacteria, fungi, and viruses (Ou et al, 2012; Crippen et al, 2018; Silva Soares et al, 2018), thus favouring the dispersion of pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, the massive occurrence of larvae and adults of A. diaperinus on farms causes birds to suffer stress (Crippen & Esquivel, 2012) and can provoke skin injuries (Uemura et al, 2008). This insect also damages breeding facilities, mainly when the larvae burrow into materials such as polystyrene, polyurethane, and wood in order to pupate (Despins et al, 1991).…”