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Functional morphology of the mouthparts of lady beetle Coccinella transversoguttata (Coccinellidae, Coleoptera), with reference to their feeding mechanism
Author(s) -
Hao YaNan,
Sun YuanXing,
Liu ChangZhong
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.20976
Subject(s) - arthropod mouthparts , biology , maxilla , morphology (biology) , zoology , anatomy , botany
The lady beetle Coccinella transversoguttata is an important biocontrol agent of aphids. As the main the feeding apparatus, mouthparts play essential roles in feeding process, and the morphological variation of mouthparts is correlated with variation in food source and feeding behavior. To better understand the feeding behavior of C. transversoguttata , we studied the functional morphology of mouthparts, with special attention to the fine morphology of each part of mouthpart and various kinds of sensilla. The mouthpart of C. transversoguttata is typical mandibulate type that composed of labrum, mandible, maxillae, labium, and hypopharynx. Detailed descriptions were given about the fine morphology of each part, and various types of sensilla were identified and classified. In total, two types of sensilla chaetica, four types of sensilla basiconica, two types of sensilla styloconica, two types of sensilla placodea, and one type of cuticular pore were identified according to their length, morphology and distribution. Specially, the putative function of each part of mouthpart as well as each kind of sensilla and their coordinative mechanisms in feeding process were discussed. These results would lay a solid foundation for understanding the feeding mechanism of lady beetles.