Morphological and functional aspects of volatile-producing glands in bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Cruz-Landim, Carminda da; Abdalla, Fábio Camargo; Gracioli‐Vitti, Luciana Fioretti

doi:10.1111/j.1744-7917.2005.00059.x

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…When the secretion delivering point is in articular membranes, the secretion is presumed to serve as a lubricant. Nevertheless, this type of gland is present in the abdomen of eusocial bees with marked dimorphism between castes ( Cruz-Landim and Mota 1993 ; Cruz-Landim 1996 ; Cruz-Landim et al 2005 ), and all indications suggest a pheromonal function. Nevertheless, the pheromones are frequently volatile, and the presence of RER in the cells of the unicellular gland, as well the morphology of the secretion granules, seems to be incompatible with secretion of volatile pheromones.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructure of the Intramandibular Gland of Workers and Queens of the Stingless Bee,Melipona quadrifasciata

Cruz-Landim

Gracioli‐Vitti

Abdalla

2011

Journal of Insect Science

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The intramandibular glands of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae), at different ages and from different functional groups, were studied using light and transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrated that these glands are composed of two types of secretory structures: 1.A hypertrophied epidermis on the dorsal side of the mandible that is an epithelial gland. 2. Free secretory cells filling the inner spaces of the appendices that constitute a unicellular gland. The epithelial gland is larger in the young (1-2-day-old workers), and the gland becomes involuted during the nurse worker stage. The unicellular glands of the workers posses some secretion during all of the studied phases, but secretory activity is more intensive in the foraging workers. Vesicles of secretion are absent in the unicellular glands of queens. These results demonstrate that these glands show functional adaptations in different castes corresponding to the functions of each caste.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructure of the Intramandibular Gland of Workers and Queens of the Stingless Bee,Melipona quadrifasciata

Cruz-Landim

Gracioli‐Vitti

Abdalla

2011

Journal of Insect Science

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“…Along with stingless bees (Meliponini) and honeybees (Apini), bumble-bees (Bombini) are the closest extant relatives of orchid bees (Euglossini), all four tribes forming the monophyletic clade of the corbiculate bees (Apinae, see below). Of those, males only of Euglossini and Bombini have welldeveloped cephalic labial glands (Duffield et al 1984;Cruz-Landim et al 2005), and the respective glands are similar in size, general shape and structure (figure 2; Å gren et al 1979), indicative of a common origin. The chemistry of labial-gland contents of male bumble-bees has been studied intensively, covering a broad range of species from various localities (Bergström et al 1981;Free 1987;Bergman & Bergströ m 1997;Kindl et al 1999).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enfleurage, lipid recycling and the origin of perfume collection in orchid bees

Eltz

Zimmermann

Haftmann³

et al. 2007

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Enfleurage, the extraction of elusive floral scents with the help of a lipophilic carrier (grease), is widely used in the perfume industry. Male neotropical orchid bees (Euglossini), which accumulate exogenous fragrances as pheromone analogues, use a similar technique. To collect fragrances, the bees apply large amounts of straight-chain lipids to odoriferous surfaces from their cephalic labial glands, which dissolve the volatiles, and the mixture is then transferred to voluminous hind-leg pockets. Here, we show that males do in fact operate a lipid conveyor belt to accumulate and concentrate their perfume. From the hind-leg pockets of caged male Euglossa viridissima, deuterated derivatives of carrier lipids were consecutively sequestered, shuttled back to the labial glands and reused on consecutive bouts of fragrance collection. Such lipid cycling is instrumental in creating complex perfume bouquets. Furthermore, we found that labial glands of male orchid bees are strikingly similar to those of scent-marking male bumblebees in terms of size, form and structure. This, and a prominent overlap in secretory products, led us to propose that perfume collection evolved from scent-marking in ancestral corbiculate bees.

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“…In addition, the more or less rounded, electron dense secretion vesicles of various sizes that were found within the gland cells are probably filled with proteinaceous material (especially in combination with abundant RER; Quennedey, 1998). Smooth endoplasmic reticulum, which is often found in defensive glands that produce nonproteinaceous secretions (Happ et al, 1966;Crossley and Waterhouse, 1969;Schumacher, 1971;Araujo and Pasteels, 1985), scent glands of Lepidoptera (Percy, 1974;Percy-Cunningham and MacDonald, 1987) and in glands secreting pheromones or lipids (Quennedey, 1972;Cruz-Landim et al, 2005), is apparently absent in the arolium gland cells of K. biedouwense. However, the chemical composition of the secretion remains to be investigated.…”

Section: Structure Of the Arolium And Its Glandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structure and function of the arolium of Mantophasmatodea (Insecta)

Eberhard

Pass

Picker

et al. 2009

Journal of Morphology

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All species of the insect order Mantophasmatodea characteristically keep the 5th tarsomere and pretarsus (arolium plus two claws) turned upwards and off the substrate. The unusually large arolium was studied in two species of Mantophasmatodea using bright field light microscopy, reflection microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, TEM, SEM, and Cryo-SEM. It contains an epithelial gland, numerous tracheoles, and nerves. The gland consists of enlarged epithelial cells with large nuclei, mitochondria, RER, golgi complexes, microtubules, and numerous secretion vesicles. Evidence for exocytosis of the vesicles into the gland reservoir between the epithelial gland and the thick cuticle could be observed. Cryo-SEM revealed that the ventral side of the arolium and distal part of its dorsal side are covered with a liquid film. Fluid footprints of arolia of individuals walking on a glass plate also indicate the presence of secretory fluid on the arolium surface. Behavioral experiments using animals with ablated arolia showed that representatives of Mantophasmatodea do not need their arolia to detect and respond to vibratory communication signals nor to catch small to medium-sized prey. Individuals with ablated arolia were not able to move upside down on a smooth glass plate. We conclude that Mantophasmatodea use their arolia for attachment when additional adhesion force is required (e.g. windy conditions, handling large prey, mating). They can bring their arolia in contact with the surface in a very fast reflex (18.0 +/- 9.9 ms). The secretory fluid found on the surface is produced by the gland and transported to the outside, presumably through small pore channels, to enhance adhesion to the substrate.

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Morphological and functional aspects of volatile-producing glands in bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Cited by 8 publications

References 36 publications

Ultrastructure of the Intramandibular Gland of Workers and Queens of the Stingless Bee,Melipona quadrifasciata

Ultrastructure of the Intramandibular Gland of Workers and Queens of the Stingless Bee,Melipona quadrifasciata

Enfleurage, lipid recycling and the origin of perfume collection in orchid bees

Structure and function of the arolium of Mantophasmatodea (Insecta)

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