Morphology of Insect Development

Sehnal, F.

doi:10.1146/annurev.en.30.010185.000513

Cited by 36 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…As with other hemimetabolous insects, a newly hatched larval locust closely resembles the adult in form apart from the absence of wings, which grow gradually through the five larval instars (Sehnal, 1985). A first instar locust walks and hops, and can clearly use its eyes to detect and react to the approach of an experimenter's hand.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Looming detection by identified visual interneurons during larval development of the locust,Locusta migratoria

Simmons

Sztarker

Rind

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYInsect larvae clearly react to visual stimuli, but the ability of any visual neuron in a newly hatched insect to respond selectively to particular stimuli has not been directly tested. We characterised a pair of neurons in locust larvae that have been extensively studied in adults, where they are known to respond selectively to objects approaching on a collision course: the lobula giant motion detector (LGMD) and its postsynaptic partner, the descending contralateral motion detector (DCMD). Our physiological recordings of DCMD axon spikes reveal that at the time of hatching, the neurons already respond selectively to objects approaching the locust and they discriminate between stimulus approach speeds with differences in spike frequency. For a particular approaching stimulus, both the number and peak frequency of spikes increase with instar. In contrast, the number of spikes in responses to receding stimuli decreases with instar, so performance in discriminating approaching from receding stimuli improves as the locust goes through successive moults. In all instars, visual movement over one part of the visual field suppresses a response to movement over another part. Electron microscopy demonstrates that the anatomical substrate for the selective response to approaching stimuli is present in all larval instars: small neuronal processes carrying information from the eye make synapses both onto LGMD dendrites and with each other, providing pathways for lateral inhibition that shape selectivity for approaching objects.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Looming detection by identified visual interneurons during larval development of the locust,Locusta migratoria

Simmons

Sztarker

Rind

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Blowfly larvae are similarly able to feed for a longer period, and therefore extend their larval stage, in order to obtain sufficient nutriment for pupation (Zďárek & Sláma, 1972). However, many insect larvae require a certain amount of time spent feeding before pupation (Sehnal, 1985). Saunders and Bee (1995) suggested that the successful pupation of larvae of Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy was dependent on larvae feeding for a period of between 3 and 10 h during the third instar.…”

Section: Dietmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet nutriment and rearing density affect the growth of black blowfly larvae, Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Green¹,

Simmonds²,

Blaney³

2003

Eur. J. Entomol.

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Abstract. Larvae of Phormia regina (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were reared, in isolation, upon either lamb's liver or meridic diets that varied in protein-and carbohydrate-content. An artificial diet containing 53% protein (by mass of dry ingredients) resulted in the heaviest P. regina pupae and shortest development time when compared with larvae reared upon lamb's liver and all other diets. In diets where the concentration of protein was less than that of carbohydrate, the level of carbohydrate became important. In a diet containing 22.6% protein it was neither the diet with the highest (51%) nor lowest (17%) concentration of carbohydrate that adversely affected development. Specifically, an intermediate level of carbohydrate (33.9%) resulted in an extended larval period, together with increased mortality and reduced pupal weights. Larvae reared in groups of 10 on either liver or a diet containing 53% protein were heavier than those reared in isolation. Group-rearing hastened development on liver, but not on the meridic diet. The results are discussed in relation to the nutritional ecology of saprophagous calliphorids.

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“…Locusts follow a hemimetabolous pattern of development and grow gradually through post-embryonic development, so that, apart from the absence of functional wings, the juveniles share most of the physiological and morphological characteristics of the adults (Sehnal, 1985). The segmentally repeated pattern in the nervous system in hemimetabolous insects arises during early embryogenesis, as a stereotyped axonal scaffold upon which growth cones then fasciculate (Raper et al, 1983a(Raper et al, , 1983b.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A look into the cockpit of the developing locust: Looming detectors and predator avoidance

Sztarker

Rind

2014

Developmental Neurobiology

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For many animals, the visual detection of looming stimuli is crucial at any stage of their lives. For example, human babies of only 6 days old display evasive responses to looming stimuli (Bower et al. [1971]: Percept Psychophys 9: 193-196). This means the neuronal pathways involved in looming detection should mature early in life. Locusts have been used extensively to examine the neural circuits and mechanisms involved in sensing looming stimuli and triggering visually evoked evasive actions, making them ideal subjects in which to investigate the development of looming sensitivity. Two lobula giant movement detectors (LGMD) neurons have been identified in the lobula region of the locust visual system: the LGMD1 neuron responds selectively to looming stimuli and provides information that contributes to evasive responses such as jumping and emergency glides. The LGMD2 responds to looming stimuli and shares many response properties with the LGMD1. Both neurons have only been described in the adult. In this study, we describe a practical method combining classical staining techniques and 3D neuronal reconstructions that can be used, even in small insects, to reveal detailed anatomy of individual neurons. We have used it to analyze the anatomy of the fan-shaped dendritic tree of the LGMD1 and the LGMD2 neurons in all stages of the post-embryonic development of Locusta migratoria. We also analyze changes seen during the ontogeny of escape behaviors triggered by looming stimuli, specially the hiding response.

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Morphology of Insect Development

Cited by 36 publications

References 0 publications

Looming detection by identified visual interneurons during larval development of the locust,Locusta migratoria

Looming detection by identified visual interneurons during larval development of the locust,Locusta migratoria

Diet nutriment and rearing density affect the growth of black blowfly larvae, Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

A look into the cockpit of the developing locust: Looming detectors and predator avoidance

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