The external morphology of females, males and eggs of aLiposcelis silvarum(Insecta: Psocodea: Liposcelididae) strain with unusually developed compound eyes, visualised with scanning electron microscopy

Abstract

The unusually developed eyes of a Liposcelis silvarum strain from Croatia were discovered using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Such a morphologically unique type of eye was previously unknown in the genus Liposcelis. The typical morphological characteristics of females and males, important for species diagnosis, were also described and visualised using SEM micrographs. This paper includes details of male genitalia and egg morphology not previously published for L. silvarum. Species status of this geographic strain is discussed.

Morphological and molecular characterization of a sexually reproducing colony of the booklouse Liposcelis bostrychophila (Psocodea: Liposcelididae) found in Arizona

“…Similar eye morphology, i.e. having ommatidia with granulated surfaces, was also shown recently in one strain of the bisexual species Liposcelis silvarum (Kolbe) 2 . Both females and males of this L. silvarum strain had one oval ommatidium with a granulated surface (slightly different type of granulation than described here in Arizona sexual L. bostrychophila strain) in each of their compound eyes whereas the other ommatidia were smooth.…”

“…Both females and males of this L. silvarum strain had one oval ommatidium with a granulated surface (slightly different type of granulation than described here in Arizona sexual L. bostrychophila strain) in each of their compound eyes whereas the other ommatidia were smooth. Other L. silvarum strains examined had ommatidia with normal smooth surfaces 2 . It is important to point out that this difference found in one strain of L. silvarum was not sufficient to establish it as a new species 2 .…”

“…Other L. silvarum strains examined had ommatidia with normal smooth surfaces 2 . It is important to point out that this difference found in one strain of L. silvarum was not sufficient to establish it as a new species 2 . The other slight differences between the sexual and asexual L. bostrychophila strains studied were in the number of hairs on the lateral lobe of the pronotum.…”

“…The booklouse genus, Liposcelis Motschulsky (Psocodea: Liposcelididae), contains 126 species 1 . Approximately 10% of the Liposcelis species have a close affiliation with human habitation 2 . These wingless, tiny insects (~1 mm body size) occur widely in grain storage facilities, grain processing facilities, and human dwellings where they infest various types of stored products 3 4 .…”