Notes on the Piercing Mouthparts of Three Species of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) Viewed With the Scanning Electron Microscope

Abstract

Can. Ent. 102: 501-509 (1970) The piercing mouthparts of three species of mosquitoes were examined with a stereoscan scanning electron microscope. The structures observed are discussed in relation to existing morphological studies. T w o pairs of peg-like organs were seen at the tip of the labrum and sensory-like structures measuring approximately 1.2 p were shown at the tip of the hypopharynx of all species. Differences were observed in the numbers of maxillary teeth of different species. The stylets of Wyeomyia smithii appear functional despite the belief that this species does not take a blood meal.

The Hypopharynx of Male and Female Mosquitoes

“…The present study confirmed the previous reports for the free hypopharynx of anautogenous females [4,5,8,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]. For autogenous females, Hudson reported that an autogenous population of Wyeomyia smithii has a free hypopharynx [20].…”

“…pipiens molestus and Oc. togoi showing that even though these mosquitoes do not use their hypopharynx as blood feeding females did, they still retain the clue of their common ancestor's attributes on hypopharynx and other mouthparts such as maxillas and mandibles in some degrees [1,20], so, the fused hypoharynx of Malaya should derived from an older attribute of their origin; (2) geographic distribution of genus Malaya confined only for Southeast Asia and Papua regions [25,29], showing that this genus might evolved recently in mosquito evolution and hence derived their fused hypopharynx from an older mosquitoes that had a free hypopharynx as other mosquitoes did; (3) phylogeny analyses by Harbach and Kitching, using morphological characters-based cladograms, placed this genus as the most recent group appeared in mosquito evolution [32]. The hypothesis suggests that the genus represents the most advance stage in evolutionary process of the hypopharynx, and that such evolution occurred independently from other autogeneous genera.…”

“…For autogenous females, Hudson reported that an autogenous population of Wyeomyia smithii has a free hypopharynx [20].…”

The Hypopharynx of Male and Female Mosquitoes

“…The present study confirmed the previous reports for the free hypopharynx of anautogenous females [4,5,8,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]. For autogenous females, Hudson reported that an autogenous population of Wyeomyia smithii has a free hypopharynx [20].…”

Scanning electron microscopic study on the mouthparts of Apis florea (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

“…There are numerous microscopic structures which are taxonomically important and relate to the ecological adaptation of these species. Hudson (1970) recognised mouthparts as taxonomically important and suitable for scanning electron microscopic characterisation. Different sensilla and their distribution on the tongue of A. florea adult workers were studied and reported during the present investigations.…”