Scanning Electron Microscopy of Antennae of <I>Aphidoletes aphidimyza</I> (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Abstract

Abstract:The morphology of antennae of Aphidoletes aphidimyza was observed with a scanning electron microscope. The results showed that both male and female were fourteen segmented, the male was approximately 2000μ m and the female was 1050 µm. Six types of sensillae on the antenna were observed, viz. chaetica (Ch), trichoidea (Tr), basiconica (Ba), cavity (Ca), styloid (St) and circumfila (Ci) on the antennae of A. aphidimyza. Sensillae Ch had a long external-process, with a base surrounded by membranous sockets and a length of about 67.5 µm. Sensillae Tr were distally curved and inserted into a depression, 61.0 µm long. Sensillae Ba were peg-like and 4.7 µm long on the antennae. Sensillae Ca were pit-like in appearance and the diameter of the pit was 1.2 µm. Sensilla St was found on the second sub-segment flagellum of the male antennae. The length of the sensilla was about 21 µm and the diameter was 1.5 µm. The circumfila, which are a unique type of sensilla found only on cecidomyiid antennae, formed loops around each of the antennal sub-segments, and were attached to the surface by a series of stalks. Sensilla St was only present on male antenna. The number of Ba and Tr was almost the same in both sexes. There were more Sensilla Ca on the male antenna than on the female, while there was more Ch on the female.

Morphology, Ultrastructure and Possible Functions of Antennal Sensilla ofSitodiplosis mosellanaGéhin (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

“…In males, they are highly elongated, whereas in female they are located close to the antennal surface. Similar dimorphism have also been observed for C. sorghicola ( Slifer and Sekhon 1971 ), M. erysiphes ( Solinas and Nuzzaci 1987 ), C. pisi ( Hillbur et al 2001 ), A. aphidimyza ( Zhang and Yang 2008 ), and C. nasturtii ( Boddum et al 2010 ). In contrast, in D. tetensi and M. destructor , s. circumfila are attached to antennal surface in both sexes ( Crook and Mordue 1999 , Boddum et al 2010 ).…”

“…Each female flagellomere is cylindrical and connected with a stalk, whereas the male flagellomere consists of two globular nodes separated by an internode and flagellomeres by a stalk. This is similar to other cecidomyiid species including Contarinia sorghicola ( Slifer and Sekhon 1971 ), Mycodiplosis erysiphes ( Solinas and Nuzzaci 1987 ), Contarinia pisi ( Hillbur et al 2001 ), and Aphidoletes aphidimyza ( Zhang and Yang 2008 ), but slightly different from Dasineura tetensi ( Crook and Mordue 1999 ), Contarinia nasturtii , and Mayetiola destructor ( Boddum et al 2010 , Schneeberg et al 2013 ), whose flagellomere is cylindrical and connected without a stalk in female, or contains only a node in male. Furthermore, the male antennae are markedly longer than female’s, consistent with previous observations in the above gall midges.…”

“…Most insect olfactory sensilla are located at the antennae ( Ahmed et al 2013 , Yuan et al 2013 , Carle et al 2014 ). Antennal sensilla from a number of dipterans have been characterized ( Blackwell et al 1992 , Chen and Fadamiro 2008 , Setzu et al 2011 , Liu et al 2013 ) including several important cecidomyiid species ( Slifer and Sekhon 1971 , Solinas and Nuzzaci 1987 , Crook and Mordue 1999 , Hillbur et al 2001 , Zhang and Yang 2008 , Boddum et al 2010 ). However, little information is available on S. mosellana ( Yuan 2004 ).…”

Optimizing aphid biocontrol with the predator Aphidoletes aphidimyza, based on biology and ecology

“…The males and females are c. 1.8 and 2 mm long, respectively . The main sexual dimorphism criteria are the antennae, which are 2 mm long, hairy and curved for males, and 1.05 mm long and filiform for females . The adult emerges from the pupae in the soil mostly around sunrise.…”

“…4 for males, and 1.05 mm long and filiform for females. 6,17,34 The adult emerges from the pupae in the soil mostly around sunrise. However, adult activity occurs exclusively at dusk and during the night.…”