Functional morphology of antennae and sensilla of Hippodamia variegata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

PLoS One. 2020 Aug 7;15(8):e0237452. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237452. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

The lady beetle Hippodamia variegata is an important biocontrol agent of many aphids. In this study, the fine morphology of antennae as well as the typology, morphology and distribution of antennal sensilla were comprehensively examined by scanning electron microscopy. The antennal morphology of female and male are similar and consist of the scape, pedicel, and nine flagellomeres. No significant difference was detected in the length of each segment between two sexes, while the male antennae are much stronger than females. In total, six types of sensilla can be defined on antenna, including Böhm bristle, sensilla chaetica (with three subtypes), sensilla basiconica (with three subtypes), sensilla trichodea, sensilla placodea and sensilla coeloconica. It is worth noting that sensilla chaetica III distributed only on the fixed position of male antennae. In addition, the functional morphology of antennae of H. variegata were compared with other lady beetles from multiple perspectives. Specially, the function of sensilla were also discussed according to their morphology, location and information from previous studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arthropod Antennae / anatomy & histology
  • Arthropod Antennae / physiology*
  • Coleoptera / anatomy & histology
  • Coleoptera / physiology*
  • Female
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Sensilla / anatomy & histology
  • Sensilla / physiology

Grants and funding

This work was supported by (1) YNH: Scientific Research Start-up Funds for Openly-recruited Doctors of Gansu Agricultural University (Grant numbers 2017RCZX-08); (2) YNH: Special Funds for Discipline Construction of Gansu Agricultural University (Grant number GAU-XKJS-2018-157); (3) YXS: National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant number 31960561); (4) CZL: The National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant number 2018YFD0200405). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.