The morphology and spectral characteristics of the compound eye of Agasicleshygrophila (Selman & Vogt, 1971) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)

Wei-Li Fan; Xiao-Kun Liu; Tian-Hao Zhang; Zu-Long Liang; Lei Jiang; Le Zong; Cong-Qiao Li; Zhong Du; Hao-Yu Liu; Yu-Xia Yang; Feng-Ming Wu; Si-Qin Ge

doi:10.3897/zookeys.1177.100084

The morphology and spectral characteristics of the compound eye of Agasicleshygrophila (Selman & Vogt, 1971) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)

Zookeys. 2023 Aug 30:1177:23-40. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1177.100084. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Wei-Li Fan^{1

2}, Xiao-Kun Liu^{1

2}, Tian-Hao Zhang^{1

2}, Zu-Long Liang^{1

2}, Lei Jiang^{1

2}, Le Zong^{1

2}, Cong-Qiao Li^{1

2}, Zhong Du^{1

2}, Hao-Yu Liu³, Yu-Xia Yang³, Feng-Ming Wu^{1

2}, Si-Qin Ge^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China.
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China.
³ The Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Application, School of Life Science, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, Hebei Province, China Hebei University Baoding China.

Abstract

The first exploratory study was conducted on the compound eye morphology and spectral characteristics of Agasicleshygrophila (Selman & Vogt, 1971) to clarify its eye structure and its spectral sensitivity. Scanning electron microscopy, paraffin sectioning, and transmission electron microscopy revealed that A.hygrophila has apposition compound eyes with both eucones and open rhabdom. The micro-computed tomography (CT) results after 3D reconstruction demonstrated the precise position of the compound eyes in the insect's head and suggested that the visual range was mainly concentrated in the front and on both sides of the head. The electroretinogram (ERG) experiment showed that red, yellow, green, blue, and ultraviolet light could stimulate the compound eyes of A.hygrophila to produce electrical signals. The behavioural experiment results showed that both males and females had the strongest phototaxis to yellow light and positive phototaxis to red, green, and blue light but negative phototaxis to UV light. This study of the compound eyes of A.hygrophila will be helpful for decoding its visual mechanism in future studies.

Keywords: 3D reconstruction; Electroretinogram; insect vision; phototaxis; rhabdomere.

Wei-Li Fan, Xiao-Kun Liu, Tian-Hao Zhang, Zu-Long Liang, Lei Jiang, Le Zong, Cong-Qiao Li, Zhong Du, Hao-Yu Liu, Yu-Xia Yang, Feng-Ming Wu, Si-Qin Ge.