From Chewing to Sucking via Phylogeny—From Sucking to Chewing via Ontogeny: Mouthparts of Neuroptera

Zimmermann, Dominique; Randolf, Susanne; Aspöck, Horst

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29654-4_11

Cited by 26 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Although most lacewings are predators as larvae and adults, the way of prey capturing and the morphology of structures involved in the preying process are extremely different between the two life phases (e.g., Aspöck & Aspöck, 1999Zimmermann et al, 2019). Adult lacewings possess biting-chewing-type mouthparts; the mouthparts of the larvae are strongly specialised not only for piercing and sucking, but in many groups also for capturing and immobilisation of prey items (e.g., Aspöck & Aspöck, 1999Zimmermann et al, 2019). Most lacewings (except Ithonidae, moth lacewings or giant lacewings, Tillyard, 1922, andpossibly Nevrorthidae, Haug, J.T.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, all are characterised especially by a pair of massive stylets. These stylets are formed by the upper jaw (mandible) and the lower jaw (maxilla) of each body side, between them with a channel not only for sucking e.g., the haemolymph of the prey, but also with channels for saliva and venom injection in most groups (Aspöck & Aspöck, 1999;Zimmermann et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The shape of the larval sucking-piercing stylets is highly characteristic within neuropteran groups and of phylogenetic relevance (Aspöck and Aspöck, 2007;Zimmermann et al, 2019). They can be, for example, fairly straight and long such as in the often semi-aquatic larvae of Osmylidae, or curved inwards with a pincer-like shape, but rather short in relation to body size such as in Chrysopidae and Hemerobiidae (see Haug, J.T.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long-headed predators in Cretaceous amber—fossil findings of an unusual type of lacewing larva

Zippel

Kiesmüller

Haug

et al. 2021

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Lacewing larvae (Neuroptera) are known to be fierce predators which are morphologically highly specialised for a raptorial lifestyle. Mandibular-maxillary stylets are characteristic for all larvae of this group; these stylets can be extraordinarily massive. Despite these distinct sucking-piercing stylets, also other extreme features occur in some ingroups, such as an extremely elongated neck. In larvae of thread-winged lacewings (Crocinae) the neck can reach up to about one third of the body length; they are also called ‘long-necked antlions’. Even though the larvae of living neuropteran species show a variety of conspicuous morphologies today, indeed 100 million years ago, in the Cretaceous, Neuroptera seems to have had an even more “experimental phase”. Several larval specimens are known so far especially in Myanmar, Spanish and Lebanese amber from the Cretaceous with unique and unusual character combinations not found in any group living today. We describe here ten new fossil findings of one of these types of larvae with elongated head capsule in Myanmar amber, previously only known from a single specimen. We compared the head shapes of the new specimens with those of 190 specimens of other lacewing larvae and discuss further implications of our findings, especially making functional comparisons with long-necked antlions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Long-headed predators in Cretaceous amber—fossil findings of an unusual type of lacewing larva

Zippel

Kiesmüller

Haug

et al. 2021

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“…The specialisation of larvae of lacewings is coupled to their lifestyle. They are mostly highly specialised predators; their upper jaws form a pair of venom-injecting sucking stylets with their corresponding lower jaws [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to the provided scale, the head capsule was 0.26 mm long. Some details were re-figured by Monserrat[96], Aspöck and Aspöck[3], Makarkin and Tshistjakov[94], and Zimmermann et al[5] (12). Makarkin[61] re-figured (his Figure17.3 p. 43) specimen 5404, i.e., the drawing from Monserrat[93].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the Morphological Diversity of Larvae of Lance Lacewings, Mantis Lacewings and Their Closer Relatives over 100 Million Years

Haug

Zippel

et al. 2021

Insects

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Neuroptera, the group of lacewings, comprises only about 6000 species in the modern fauna, but is generally assumed to have been more diverse and important in the past. A major factor of the modern-day ecological diversity of the group, and supposedly in the past as well, is represented by the highly specialised larval forms of lacewings. Quantitative analyses of the morphology of larvae revealed a loss of morphological diversity in several lineages. Here we explored the diversity of the larvae of mantis lacewings (Mantispidae), lance lacewings (Osmylidae), beaded lacewings (Berothidae and Rhachiberothidae, the latter potentially an ingroup of Berothidae), and pleasing lacewings (Dilaridae), as well as fossil larvae, preserved in amber, resembling these. We used shape analysis of the head capsule and stylets (pair of conjoined jaws) as a basis due to the high availability of this body region in extant and fossil specimens and the ecological importance of this region. The analysis revealed a rather constant morphological diversity in Berothidae. Mantispidae appears to have lost certain forms of larvae, but has seen a drastic increase of larval diversity after the Cretaceous; this is in contrast to a significant decrease in diversity in adult forms.

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Mechanical properties of larval mouthparts of the antlion Euroleon nostras (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) and their correlation with cuticular material composition

Krings

Gorb

2023

Zoomorphology

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The diversity of insects can be explained by their ability to fill various ecological niches, which includes the foraging from diverse sources. The cuticle-based feeding structures interact with the food and show adaptations in shape, material composition and mechanical properties to it. In this study, we focus on the mouthparts of a very prominent ambush predator, the antlion larvae of Euroleon nostras. By nanoindentation, we tested the hardness and the Young’s modulus of the mouthparts, which are significantly harder and stiffer than other insect cuticle structures. To gain insight into the origins of the high values, we studied the degree of tanning using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Additionally, we determined the content of transition and alkaline earth metals by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. We found that the proportions of Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, Ca, Mg, and Si correlate with the mechanical property values. We also conducted experiments on the breaking stress, the puncturing and biomechanical behaviour of the jaws, which highlighted their extraordinary strength. These findings are not only valuable for biologists, but also for material scientists, as they contribute to our understanding of the origins of mechanical property heterogeneities in insect cuticle.

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From Chewing to Sucking via Phylogeny—From Sucking to Chewing via Ontogeny: Mouthparts of Neuroptera

Cited by 26 publications

References 43 publications

Long-headed predators in Cretaceous amber—fossil findings of an unusual type of lacewing larva

Long-headed predators in Cretaceous amber—fossil findings of an unusual type of lacewing larva

Changes in the Morphological Diversity of Larvae of Lance Lacewings, Mantis Lacewings and Their Closer Relatives over 100 Million Years

Mechanical properties of larval mouthparts of the antlion Euroleon nostras (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) and their correlation with cuticular material composition

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