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The Eltringham Organ and a New Thoracic Gland: Ultrastructure and Presumed Pheromone Function (Insecta, Myrmeleontidae)
Author(s) -
Elofsson Rolf,
Löfqvist Jan
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
zoologica scripta
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.204
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1463-6409
pISSN - 0300-3256
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6409.1974.tb00801.x
Subject(s) - biology , anatomy , ultrastructure , seta , duct (anatomy) , secretion , lumen (anatomy) , microbiology and biotechnology , zoology , endocrinology , genus
Elofsson, R. and Löfqvist, J. (Zoological Institute, University of Lund, S‐223 62 Lund, Sweden.) The Eltringham organ and a new thoracic gland: ultrastructure and presumed pheromone function . Zool. Scr. 3 (1): 31–40, 1974.—Eltringham's organ is a club‐like projection from the posterior margin of hind‐wings of some myrmeleontid insects. It bears laterally directed setae, each having a specialized epidermal cell beneath, which gives off secretion into a sub‐setal lumen. The lumen continues into the wall of the moat‐like socket of the setae. Eltringham's organ fits into an excavation of the lateral body wall connected with the opening of a thoracic gland. The thoracic gland in these animals has not previously been described. It consists of a hollow tube, feebly developed in females. The tube wall houses two cell types: gland cells and cuticular cells. The latter form the cuticle of the general duct lumen and a specialized duct leading from each gland cell. The gland cells have a microvilli‐filled cavity which collects the secretion. The thoracic gland produces a pheromone secretion whose distribution is aided by Eltringham's organ where present.