Immature Insects

The Muscidae is one of the main dipteran families recognized as important for medico-legal purposes. Although an association of adult flies with decomposing human and animal bodies is documented for about 200 taxa worldwide, cadavers and carrion represents a breeding habitat for considerably fewer species. Species that do colonize dead human bodies can do so under diverse environmental conditions and, under certain circumstances, Muscidae may be the only colonizers of a body. Because of difficulties in identification, many studies have identified immature and/or adult muscids only to the genus or family level. This lack of detailed species-level identifications hinders detailed investigation of their medico-legal usefulness in carrion succession-oriented experiments. Identification to species level of third instars of Muscidae of forensic importance and the utility of larval morphological characters for taxonomic purposes were subjected to an in-depth revision. A combination of characters allowing for the discrimination of third instar muscids from other forensically important dipterans is proposed. An identification key for third instar larvae, which covers the full set of cadaver-colonising species of Muscidae from the western Palaearctic (Europe, North Africa, Middle East), is provided. This key will facilitate more detailed and species-specific knowledge of the occurrence of Muscidae in forensic entomology experiments and real cases. The carrion-visiting Muscidae worldwide are catalogued, and those species breeding in animal carrion and dead human bodies are briefly discussed with regard to their forensic importance.

Abstract: This is the first communication about palaearctic notodontid larvae. 70 species
belonging to 40 genera were examined. Morphological characters of larvae of the first instar
have been described and illustrated the comparative aspect.

Abstract. The larval head microsculpture of each instar of 66 species belonging to 35 genera of Palaeartic
notodontids from Ukraine and Far East of Russia (Primorskii krai) was examined with the use of a scanning
electron microscope. A comparison with representatives from Lasiocampoidea (Lasiocampidae) and
Noctuoidea (Erebidae: Lymantriinae, Arctiinae; Noctuidae) is conducted. Differences in head microsculpture
and the transformation during development of different larval instars are discussed. Apomorphic and
plesiomorphic states of these characters are also discussed. The results of this study are discussed with
reference to recently published classifi cations of Notodontidae

The immatures of males of two species of Camponotus ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are described and compared by light and electron microscopy. The numbers of larval instars were determined: Camponotus rufipes Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) have four instars; and Camponotus vittatus Forel have three. Male larvae of the two species are similar to previously described Camponotus larvae, sharing the following traits: basic shape of body and mandible, presence of 'chiloscleres', 'praesaepium' (some specimens), labial pseudopalps, and ten pairs of spiracles. However, larvae of the two species can be separated by bodily dimensions and based on their hair number and types. Worker larvae of C. vittatus previously described are extensively similar to male larvae, with only a few inconspicuous differences that may result from intraspecific variation or sexual differences.

Investigation of various tissues of immature stages Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenko (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) from Iran was examined in an attempt to determine its cell division. In addition, the Metaphase plate of the wasp is evaluated to elucidate its chromosome feature and asymmetry/ symmetry karyotype. We found that: 1) Brain tissue of prepupa and early hours of the pupa stage are the highest mitotic index (%) and metaphase index, 2) The number of haploid chromosomes of the wasp is n = 5, and 3) The karyotype of the wasp is almost symmetrical.

Morphological Characters of the Pupae of Some Tiger Moths (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) of Far East Russia.
Pljushch I. G., Dolinskaya I. V. – Pupae of 6 species representing 5 genera of Arctiidae, were examined.
Descriptions and comparative morphological analysis are provided for all these species. As a
result, all the examined species are subdivided into 2 groups; the diagnostic characters for species are
chosen

Arthropods
ISSN 2224-4255

Volume 10, Number 4, 1 December 2021

Cover Pages
[Front Pages (152K)] [Back Pages (55K)]

Articles

Seasonality and movement patterns of butterflies in an intermediate zone regenerating forest habitat in Sri Lanka
Arthropods, 2021, 10(4): 120-129
Buddhika Weerakoon, Kithsiri Ranawana
[Abstract] [XML] [EndNote] [RefManager] [BibTex] [DOAJ] [PubMed]
[ Full PDF (164K)]
[Email Article] [Comment/Review Article]


Status of cell division, cytogenetical index, and chromosome details on the immature stage of Trichogramma brassicae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)
Arthropods, 2021, 10(4): 130-139
Fatemeh Farsi, Jamasb Nozari
[Abstract] [XML] [EndNote] [RefManager] [BibTex] [DOAJ] [PubMed]
[ Full PDF (857K)]
[Email Article] [Comment/Review Article]


Cranial morphology of Deudorix isocrates (Fab.) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) larvae
Arthropods, 2021, 10(4): 140-151
Ravindrakumar D. Patil, Vinaykamal D. Dethe
[Abstract] [XML] [EndNote] [RefManager] [BibTex] [DOAJ] [PubMed]
[ Full PDF (512K)]
[Email Article] [Comment/Review Article]


A new record of Aretes indicus (Coutière 1903)(Alpheidae : Caridea) from northern Arabian Sea
Arthropods, 2021, 10(4): 152-157
Farhana Shafiq Ghory, Quddusi Bashir Kazmi
[Abstract] [XML] [EndNote] [RefManager] [BibTex] [DOAJ] [PubMed]
[ Full PDF (89K)]
[Email Article] [Comment/Review Article]

The Muscidae is one of the main dipteran families recognized as important for medico-legal purposes. Although an association of adult flies with decomposing human and animal bodies is documented for about 200 taxa worldwide, cadavers and carrion represents a breeding habitat for considerably fewer species. Species that do colonize dead human bodies can do so under diverse environmental conditions and, under certain circumstances, Muscidae may be the only colonizers of a body. Because of difficulties in identification, many studies have identified immature and/or adult muscids only to the genus or family level. This lack of detailed species-level identifications hinders detailed investigation of their medico-legal usefulness in carrion succession-oriented experiments. Identification to species level of third instars of Muscidae of forensic importance and the utility of larval morphological characters for taxonomic purposes were subjected to an in-depth revision. A combination of char...

Diversity of the Larval Cranial Setae in Palaearctic Notodontidae (Noctuoidea) and and their Taxonomic
Distribution. Dolinskaya I. V. – Larval cranial setae of each larval instar of 66 species belonging to 35
genera of Palaeartic Notodontid moths from Ukraine and Far East of Russia (Primorskii krai) was examined
with the use of a scanning electron microscope. A comparison with outgroup species – Lasiocampoidea
(Lasiocampidae), Sphingoidea (Sphingidae) and Noctuoidea (Erebidae: Lymantriinae, Arctiinae;
Noctuidae) is conducted. Main kinds of setae during larval development and their transformation are discussed.
Possible apomorphic and plesiomorphic states of the different characters are discussed in relation
to the different taxa.

Many invasive insect pests show phenotypic variation between local populations across their geographical range.
Understanding and integrating such differences will help to improve pest management. Population differences are the result of local
adaptation to environmental conditions and may be detected using ecological analyses. Immature stages may represent especially
interesting study objects as they represent important stages in the life cycle of insects and in many cases may be the most destructive
stage. The alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal, 1813), is a variable worldwide pest that heavily damages alfalfa fields and is widely
distributed in Iran. The lack of information about Iranian populations of H. postica has motivated us to examine immature life stages
of three western populations (Karaj, Hamedan, Tuyserkan) and one eastern population (Jovein) under laboratory conditions. We
measured the percentage of survival and the developmental times of each immature stage. The results suggested that the mean duration
of the pupa stage significantly differs among the eastern population and all western populations (P < 0.005). Egg survivorship was lower
in the eastern population (72.5%). The importance of differences in development times between populations is discussed in regards of
pest management strategies.

Abstract: Eggs of 11 species belonging to 7 genera of Lymantn'idae were examined with the use
of the scanning electron microscopy. The descriptions and the comparative morphological
analysis are provided for all these species. The evaluation of significance of some morphological
characters is given and the diagnostic characters for some species are chosen. Many species were
found out to be recognizable from the complex characters they share with other genera. A
preliminary characteristics of the family Lymantriidae is given basing on the egg characters.

Characteristics of palearctic notodontid moth (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae). based on pupal characters of 66  species from 38 genera are given. It includes both the author's results (Dolinskaya, 1984; 1986; 1989; 1993) and data from the literature