Structures of Spermatheca and Eggs of the Red Firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus (L. 1758) (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae), Based on Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy

Abstract

In this study, spermatheca and eggs of Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae were examined by light microscope and SEM. The eggs have ~1.30 mm length and 0.94 mm width. Newly laid eggs turn from white to yellow as soon as embryonic differentiation. P. apterus egg surface shows polygonal (usually hexagonal and pentagonal) shapes. The eggs have pipe shaped 6-7 micropylar projections. The egg-burster which is a dark T-shaped or triangular pattern, explosive becomes visible when the embryo is well developed. The nimph, which has completed its embryonic development, comes out of the egg with peristaltic movements. The spermatheca of P. apterus consists of a bulb, a pump, a flange of pump, and duct. The morphology of the egg and spermatheca is useful for classification, because they show a great diversity among species and genera. 

Keywords

• Chorion
• Micropyle
• Spermathecal Bulb
• Electron Microscope
• Light Microscope

References

1. [1] Massee, A.M., “In search of Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.) (Hem., Pyrhocoridae) in devonshire”, Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, 90: 45–46, (1954).
2. [2] Henry, T.J., “Family Pyrrhocoridae Fieber, 1860”, In T.J. Henry, R.C. Froeschner (Editors). Catalogue of the Heteroptera, or True Bugs, of Canada and the Continental United States, 613-616, (1988).
3. [3] Kerzhner, I.M., “Family Pyrrhocoridae Amyot & Serville, 1843”, In B. Aukema, C. Rieger, (Editors). Catalogue of Heteroptera of the Palearctic Region, The Netherlands, 245-258, (2001).
4. [4] Kristenova, M., Exnerova, A., Štys, P., “Seed preferences of Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae): Are there specialized trophic populations?”, European Journal of Entomology, 108(4): 581-586, (2011).
5. [5] Hinton, H.E., Biology of Insect Eggs, Vols I–III, Oxford, (1981).
6. [6] Salkeld, E.H., “A catalogue of the eggs of some Canadian Geometridae (Lepidoptera), with comments”, Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 126: 1–271, (1983).
7. [7] Salkeld, E.H., “A catalogue of the eggs of some Canadian Noctuidae (Lepidoptera)”, Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 127: 1–167, (1984).
8. [8] Margaritis, L.H., “Structure and Physiology of the Eggshell”, G.A. Kerkut, L.I. Gilbert (Editors). Comprehensive Insect Physiology, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 153–230, (1985).

9. [9] Grigorov, P., “Electron-microscopic study of the egg’s chorion [sic] in species of the genus Eurygaster Lap. (Heteroptera, Scutelleridae)”, Rasteniev’dni Nauki, 25: 94–99, (1988).
10. [10] Suludere Z., Candan S., Kalender Y., “Chorionic sculpturing in eggs of six species of Eurydema (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae) A scanning electron microscope investigation”, Journal of the Entomological Research Society, (2): 27–56, (1999).
11. [11] Bundy, C.S., McPherson, R.M., “Morphological examination of stink bug (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) eggs on cotton and soybeans, with a key to genera”, Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 93(3): 616-624, (2000).
12. [12] Bundy, C.S., McPherson, J.E., “Morphological examination of the egg of Mecidea major (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)”, Southwestern Entomologist, 30(1): 41-45, (2005).
13. [13] Baker, G.T., Chandrapatya, A., “Morphology of the chorion of Diapheromera femorata (Phasmida: Heteronemiidae)”, Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 103 (4): 849-853, (2001).
14. [14] Wolf, K.W., Reid, W., “Egg morphology and hatching in Mormidea pictiventris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)”, Canadian Journal of Zoology, 79: 726–736, (2001).
15. [15] Wolf, W.K., Reid, W., “Post depositional dynamics of eggs of Podisus sagitta (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae). A light and scanning electron microscopy study”, Journal of the Entomological Research Society, 6: 1–11, (2004).
16. [16] Ubero-Pascal, N., Fortuño, J.M., Puig, M.A., “New application of air-drying techniques for studying Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera eggs by scanning electron microscopy”, Microscopy Research and Technique, 68: 264–271, (2005).
17. [17] Candan, S., Suludere, Z., Erbey, M., “Morphology of eggs and spermatheca of Odontotarsus purpureolineatus (Heteroptera, Scutelleridae)”, Biologia, 62(6): 763-769, (2007).
18. [18] Candan, S., Suludere, Z., Güllü, M., “Description of spermatheca and eggs of Eurygaster austriaca (Schrank, 1778) (Heteroptera: Scutelleridae), based on optical and scanning electron microscopy”, Turkish Journal of Zoology, 35(5): 653-662, (2011).
19. [19] Perez-Goodwyn, P.J., Ohba, S., Schnack, J. A., “Chorion morphology of the eggs of Lethocerus delpontei, Kirkaldyia deyrolli, and Horvathinia pelocoroides (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae)”, Russian Entomological Journal, 15(2): 151-156, (2006).
20. [20] Matesco, V.C., Fürstenau, B.B.R.J., Bernardes, J.L., Schwertner, C.F., Grazia, J., “Morphological features of the eggs of Pentatomidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)”, Zootaxa, 1984(1): 1-30, (2009).
21. [21] Vilimova, J., Rohanova, M., “The external morphology of eggs of three Rhopalidae species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) with a review of the eggs of this family”, Acta Entomol Musei Natioalis Pragae, 50: 75-95, (2010).
22. [22] Bianchi, F.M., Matesco, V.C., Campos, L.A., Grazia, J., “External morphology of the egg and the first and fifth instars of Cyrtocoris egeris Packauskas & Schaefer (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Cyrtocorinae)”, Zootaxa, 2991(1): 29-34, (2011).
23. [23] Sandoval, C.M., Nieves, E., Angulo, V.M., Rosa, J.A., Aldana, E., “Morphology of the eggs of the genus Belminus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) by optical and scanning electron microscopy”, Zootaxa, 2970: 33–40, (2011).
24. [24] Dimaté, F.A.R., Poderoso, J.C.M., Serrão, J.E., Candan, S., Zanuncio, J.C., “Comparative morphology of eggs of the predators Brontocoris tabidus and Supputius cincticeps (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)”, Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 107(6): 1126-1129, (2014).
25. [25] Lay, M., Zissler, D., Hartmann, R., “Ultrastructural and functional aspects of the spermatheca of the African Migratory Locust Locusta migratoria migratorioides (Reiche and Fairmaire) (Orthoptera: Acrididae)”, International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology, 28(4): 349-361, (1999).
26. [26] Pendergrast J.G., “Studies on the reproductive organs of the Heteroptera with a consideration of their bearing on classification”, Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 109: 1–63, (1957).
27. [27] Dufour, L., “Recherches anatomique et physiologiques sur les Hemipteres”, Memoria Press Academy Science, 4: 133–461, (1833).
28. [28] von Siebold, C. T. “Fernere beobachtungen uber die spermatozoen der wirbellosen tiere. 2. Die spermatozoen der Paludina vivipara”, Archiv für Anatomie und Physiologie, 1: 232-255, (1836).
29. [29] Dupuis, C., “Les génitalia des Hémipt`eres Hétéropt`eres (Génitalia externes des deux sexes; Voies ectodermiques femelles). Revue de la morphologie. Lexique de la nomenclature. Index bibliographique analytique”, Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 6: 183–278, (1955).
30. [30] Scudder, G.G.E., “The female genitalia of the Heteroptera: Morphology and bearing on classification”, Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 111: 405–467, (1959).
31. [31] Kumar, R., “Morpho-taxonomical studies on the genitalia and salivary glands of some Pentatomoidea”, Entomologisk Tidskrift, 83: 44–84, (1962).
32. [32] McDonald, F.J.D., “The genitalia of North American Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)”, Quaestiones Entomologicae, 2: 7–150, (1966).
33. [33] Servadei, A., “Il valore tassonomico delle spermateche degli emitteri eterotteri (Fam. Pentatomidae e Acanthosomatidae)”, Atti Della Accademia Nazionale Italiana di Entomologia, 11: 58–86, (1964).
34. [34] Lee, C.E., Pendergrast, J.G., “The spermathecae of New Zealand Aradidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)”, Journal of Natural History, 17(1): 113-122, (1983).
35. [35] Vavrinova, I., “Spermathecae of Central European species of the families Rhopalidae, Alydidae and Coreidae (Heteroptera, Coreoidae)”, Acta Musei Silesiae, Scientiae Naturales, 73: 203–215, (1988).
36. [36] Kim, R.H., Lee, C.E., “Morphological studies on the spermathecae of Korean Podopinae and Asopinae (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)”, Korean Journal of Applied Entomology, 24: 217–223, (1994).
37. [37] Gschwentner, R., Tadler, A., “Functional anatomy of the spermatheca and its duct in the seed bug Lygaeus simulans (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae)”, European Journal of Entomology, 97(3): 305-312, (2000).
38. [38] Candan, S., “Spermathecal morphology of Enoplops disciger (Kolenati, 1845) (Heteroptera: Coreidae)”, Entomological News, 119(5): 524-530, (2008).
39. [39] Candan, S., Erbey, M., Özyurt, N., Suludere, Z., “Spermathecae morphology in four species of Eurydema Laporte, 1833 (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) from Turkey: a scanning electron microscope study”, Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 2(3): 206-213, (2014).
40. [40] Candan, S., Yilmaz, F.S., Suludere, Z., Erbey, M., “Morphology of spermathecae of some pentatomids (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) from Turkey”, Zootaxa, 3937(3): 500-516, (2015).
41. [41] Kocorek A., Danielczok-Demska, T., “Comparative morphology of the spermatheca within the family Dinidoridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)”, European Journal of Entomology, 99: 91-98, (2002).
42. [42] Pluot-Sigwalt, D., Lis, J.A. “Morphology of the spermatheca in the Cydnidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera): Bearing of its diversity on classification and phylogeny”, European Journal of Entomology, 105(2): 279, (2008).
43. [43] Pluot-Sigwalt, D., Péricart, J., “The spermatheca of the Dipsocoridae with special reference to the strange “loculus capsulae” in Harpago species (Heteroptera, Dipsocoromorpha)”, In Annales de la Société entomologique de France, 39(2): 129-138, (2003).
44. [44] Chiang, R.G. “Functional anatomy of the vagina muscles in the adult western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera: Coreidae), and its implication for the egg laying behaviour in insects”, Arthropod Structure & Development, 39(4): 261-267, (2010).
45. [45] De Sá, V.G.M., Zanuncio, J.C., Soares, M.A., Rosa, C.S., Serrao, J.E., “Morphology and postdepositional dynamics of eggs of the predator Podisus distinctus (Stål) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae”, Zootaxa, 3641(3): 282-288, (2013).
46. [46] Stacconi, M.V.R., Romani, R., “Ultrastructural and functional aspects of the spermatheca in the American harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)”, Neotropical Entomology, 40(2): 222-230, (2011).
47. [47] Souza, E.A., Lisboa, L.C.O., Araújo, V.A., Serrão, J.E. “Morphology of the spermathecae of Leptoglossus zonatus (Heteroptera: Coreidae)”, Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 109(1): 106-111, (2016).
48. [48] Pascini, T.V., Martins, G.F., “The insect spermatheca: an overview”, Zoology, 121: 56-71 (2017).
49. [49] Pluot-Sigwalt, D., Moulet, P., “The coreine spermatheca: morphological structure and terminology (Heteroptera: Coreidae: Coreinae)”, Dugesiana, 24(2): 177-182 (2017).
50. [50] Candan, S., Suludere, Z., Durak, D., “Ultrastructure of the eggs chorion of Ceraleptus obtusus (Brullé, 1839) (Heteroptera: Coreidae)”, Ohio Journal of Science, 105: 138-141, (2005).
51. [51] Brugnera, R., Grazia, J., “External morphology of immature of Tynacantha marginata Dallas, 1851 (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Pentatomidae)”, Zootaxa, 4378(1): 121-128, (2018).