The proventriculus of the carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica virginica (L.), with special reference to bacteria‐containing luminal tunnels

Abstract

Abstract. Four tunnels off the lumen of the proventriculus of the carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica virginica, have been discovered. Light and electron micrographs revealed the presence in the tunnels of gram‐positive, rod‐shaped bacteria, some of which showed division stages. The occurrence of the bacteria exclusively in the tunnels—not in the lumen of the proventriculus—makes speculation as to their function difficult. The function of the tunnels is also obscure, as no glands were seen emptying into them. The bacteria may be symbionts that release enzymes into the tunnels, which are subsequently transported to the midgut to aid digestion. They could also be parasites. This is the first report of such bacterial‐containing tunnels in insects.

Pharynx, esophagus, and associated structures in the booklouse, Liposcelis divinatorius

“…The intrinsic muscles controlling the movement of the foregut of insects generally consist of a prominent external circular layer and an internal layer (Judd 1948;Chapman 1982Chapman , 1984Peng & Marston 1986;Borror et al 1989;Lehane 1998a). The circular muscles may include several distinct layers of cells, as in the carpenter bee, Xylocopu virginica virginica (Chapman & Abu-Eid 2001). The circular muscle in the foregut of the booklouse is generally a single cell thick, but occasionally is absent or reveals an adjacent isolated muscle cell (not illustrated), that is, a cell not connected to the circularly arranged band of muscle.…”

Anatomical specializations of the gizzard in soil-feeding termites (Termitidae, Apicotermitinae): Taxonomical and functional implications

“…In insects, the gizzard (proventriculus) plays the role of a valve (e.g. hymenopterans, Eisner, 1957;Chapman and Abu-Eid, 2001;Lanan et al, 2016) and of a grinding organ (e.g. cockroaches, coleopterans, Bell et al, 2007;De Sousa et al, 2013, Hulcr et al, 2015.…”

Metamorfose do intestino medio de abelhas

“…Dentre os Hymenoptera, o trato digestivo das abelhas tem sido amplamente estudado (Snodgrass, 1956;Kapil, 1959;Mathewson, 1965;Cruz-Landim et al, 1967;Serrão et al, 1995;Serrão, 2000;Peixoto et al, 2001, Chapman, 2001Cruz et al, 2007). Esses trabalhos não revelaram diferenças quanto à morfologia do trato gastrointestinal entre espécies de abelhas.…”