Li Xin-yu
Beijing Forestry University, China
Title: Ultrastructural investigation of antennae in bot flies (Diptera: Oestridae)
Biography
Biography: Li Xin-yu
Abstract
The bot flies are economically important obligate parasites that can cause severe myiasis in mammals. As essential olfactory organs, the antennae of these host-specific oestrids, Gasterophilus spp. [G. nasalis (Linnaeus), G. pecorum (Fabricius), G. intestinalis (Geer), G. haemorrhoidalis (Linnaeus) and G. nigricornis (Loew)], Rhinoestrus purpureus (Brauer) and Hypoderma lineatum (Villers), are scrutinized using stereoscopic microscope and scanning electron microscope. General morphology of antennae is provided in detail, combined with distribution, types, size and ultrastructures of antennal sensilla. On antennal funiculus, five types of sensilla are observed, including trichoid, basiconic, coeloconic, clavate and auriculate sensilla. Three common characters are shared among these species: 1) the prolonged or enlarged antennal pedicel tend to envelop the antennal funiculus; 2) the much higher diversity in the morphology of antennal sensilla; 3) the numerous sensory pits and pit sensilla on antennal funiculus. An unusual phenomenon in Gasterophilus species is the presence of sensilla on antennal arista. Disparity and diversity of the antennal and sensory structures are analyzed from the phylogenetic and functional perspective.
Speaker Presentations
Speaker PDFs