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Yang X, Ran H, Jiang Y, Lu Z, Wei G, Li J. Fine structure of the compound eyes of the crepuscular moth Grapholita molesta (Busck 1916) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Front Physiol 2024; 15:1343702. [PMID: 38390450 PMCID: PMC10883378 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1343702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Morphological organization, ultrastructure and adaptational changes under different light intensities (10000, 100, 1, and 0.01 mW/m2) of the compound eye of the oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta (Busck 1916) were investigated. Its superposition type of eyes consist of approximately 1072 ommatidia in males and 1029 ommatidia in females with ommatidial diameters of around 15 μm. Each ommatidium features a laminated corneal lens densely covered by corneal nipples of 256 nm in height. Crystalline cones are formed by four cone cells, proximally tapering to form a narrow crystalline tract with a diameter of 1.5 μm. Eight retinula cells, two primary and six secondary pigment cells per ommatidium are present. The 62.3 μm long rhabdom is divided into a thin 1.8 μm wide distal and a 5.2 μm wide proximal region. Distally the fused rhabdom consists of the rhabdomeres of seven retinula cells (R1-R7) and connects with the crystalline cone. In the proximal rhabdom region, the pigment-containing retinula cell R8 occupies a position in centre of the rhabdom while R1-R7 cells have taken peripheral positions. At this level each ommatidial group of retinula cells is surrounded by a tracheal tapetum. In response to changes from bright-light to dim-light adaptations, the pigment granules in the secondary pigment cells and retinula cells migrate distally, with a decrease in the length of crystalline tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofan Yang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Key Laboratory of IPM on Crops in Northern Region of North China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Hongfan Ran
- Institute of Plant Protection, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Key Laboratory of IPM on Crops in Northern Region of North China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Yueli Jiang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ziyun Lu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Key Laboratory of IPM on Crops in Northern Region of North China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Guoshu Wei
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Jiancheng Li
- Institute of Plant Protection, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Key Laboratory of IPM on Crops in Northern Region of North China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Baoding, Hebei, China
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Wainwright JB, Schofield C, Conway M, Phillips D, Martin-Silverstone E, Brodrick EA, Cicconardi F, How MJ, Roberts NW, Montgomery SH. Multiple axes of visual system diversity in Ithomiini, an ecologically diverse tribe of mimetic butterflies. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246423. [PMID: 37921078 PMCID: PMC10714147 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
The striking structural variation seen in arthropod visual systems can be explained by the overall quantity and spatio-temporal structure of light within habitats coupled with developmental and physiological constraints. However, little is currently known about how fine-scale variation in visual structures arises across shorter evolutionary and ecological scales. In this study, we characterise patterns of interspecific (between species), intraspecific (between sexes) and intraindividual (between eye regions) variation in the visual system of four ithomiine butterfly species. These species are part of a diverse 26-million-year-old Neotropical radiation where changes in mimetic colouration are associated with fine-scale shifts in ecology, such as microhabitat preference. Using a combination of selection analyses on visual opsin sequences, in vivo ophthalmoscopy, micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy and neural tracing, we quantify and describe physiological, anatomical and molecular traits involved in visual processing. Using these data, we provide evidence of substantial variation within the visual systems of Ithomiini, including: (i) relaxed selection on visual opsins, perhaps mediated by habitat preference, (ii) interspecific shifts in visual system physiology and anatomy, and (iii) extensive sexual dimorphism, including the complete absence of a butterfly-specific optic neuropil in the males of some species. We conclude that considerable visual system variation can exist within diverse insect radiations, hinting at the evolutionary lability of these systems to rapidly develop specialisations to distinct visual ecologies, with selection acting at the perceptual, processing and molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Benito Wainwright
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Corin Schofield
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Max Conway
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Daniel Phillips
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Elizabeth Martin-Silverstone
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Emelie A. Brodrick
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Francesco Cicconardi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Martin J. How
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Nicholas W. Roberts
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Stephen H. Montgomery
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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Khaldy L, Tocco C, Byrne M, Dacke M. Compass Cue Integration and Its Relation to the Visual Ecology of Three Tribes of Ball-Rolling Dung Beetles. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12060526. [PMID: 34204081 PMCID: PMC8229028 DOI: 10.3390/insects12060526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
To guide their characteristic straight-line orientation away from the dung pile, ball-rolling dung beetles steer according to directional information provided by celestial cues, which, among the most relevant are the sun and polarised skylight. Most studies regarding the use of celestial cues and their influence on the orientation system of the diurnal ball-rolling beetle have been performed on beetles of the tribe Scarabaeini living in open habitats. These beetles steer primarily according to the directional information provided by the sun. In contrast, Sisyphus fasciculatus, a species from a different dung-beetle tribe (the Sisyphini) that lives in habitats with closely spaced trees and tall grass, relies predominantly on directional information from the celestial pattern of polarised light. To investigate the influence of visual ecology on the relative weight of these cues, we studied the orientation strategy of three different tribes of dung beetles (Scarabaeini, Sisyphini and Gymnopleurini) living within the same biome, but in different habitat types. We found that species within a tribe share the same orientation strategy, but that this strategy differs across the tribes; Scarabaeini, living in open habitats, attribute the greatest relative weight to the directional information from the sun; Sisyphini, living in closed habitats, mainly relies on directional information from polarised skylight; and Gymnopleurini, also living in open habitats, appear to weight both cues equally. We conclude that, despite exhibiting different body size, eye size and morphology, dung beetles nevertheless manage to solve the challenge of straight-line orientation by weighting visual cues that are particular to the habitat in which they are found. This system is however dynamic, allowing them to operate equally well even in the absence of the cue given the greatest relative weight by the particular species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Khaldy
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund, Sweden; (C.T.); (M.D.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Claudia Tocco
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund, Sweden; (C.T.); (M.D.)
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa;
| | - Marcus Byrne
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa;
| | - Marie Dacke
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62 Lund, Sweden; (C.T.); (M.D.)
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa;
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McCullagh BS, Alexiuk MR, Payment JE, Hamilton RV, Lalonde MML, Marcus JM. It's a moth! It's a butterfly! It's the complete mitochondrial genome of the American moth-butterfly Macrosoma conifera (Warren, 1897) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Hedylidae)! MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES 2020; 5:3633-3635. [PMID: 33367038 PMCID: PMC7594742 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2020.1831991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
The taxonomic placement of the moth-butterfly, Macrosoma conifera (Warren 1897) (Lepidoptera: Hedylidae), has been controversial. The 15,344 bp complete M. conifera circular mitogenome, assembled by genome skimming, consists of 81.7% AT nucleotides, 22 tRNAs, 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNAs and a control region in the typical butterfly gene order. Macrosoma conifera COX1 features an atypical CGA start codon while ATP6, COX1, COX2, and ND5 exhibit incomplete stop codons completed by the post-transcriptional addition of 3' A residues. Phylogenetic reconstruction places M. conifera as sister to the skippers (Hesperiidae), which is consistent with several recent phylogenetic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie S McCullagh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Mackenzie R Alexiuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Josephine E Payment
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Rayna V Hamilton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Melanie M L Lalonde
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Jeffrey M Marcus
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Zhang J, Lees DC, Shen J, Cong Q, Huertas B, Martin G, Grishin NV. The mitogenome of a Malagasy butterfly Malaza fastuosus (Mabille, 1884) recovered from the holotype collected over 140 years ago adds support for a new subfamily of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Genome 2020; 63:195-202. [PMID: 32142382 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2019-0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Malaza fastuosus is a lavishly patterned skipper butterfly from a genus that has three described species, all endemic to the mainland of Madagascar. To our knowledge, M. fastuosus has not been collected for nearly 50 years. To evaluate the power of our techniques to recover DNA, we used a single foreleg of an at least 140-year-old holotype specimen from the collection of the Natural History Museum London with no destruction of external morphology to extract DNA and assemble a complete mitogenome from next generation sequencing reads. The resulting 15 540 bp mitogenome contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and an A+T rich region, similarly to other Lepidoptera mitogenomes. Here we provide the first mitogenome also for Trapezitinae (Rachelia extrusus). Phylogenetic analysis of available skipper mitogenomes places Malaza outside of Trapezitinae and Barcinae + Hesperiinae, with a possible sister relationship to Heteropterinae. Of these, at least Heteropterinae, Trapezitinae, and almost all Hesperiinae have monocot-feeding caterpillars. Malaza appears to be an evolutionarily highly distinct ancient lineage, morphologically with several unusual hesperiid features. The monotypic subfamily Malazinae Lees & Grishin subfam. nov. (type genus Malaza) is proposed to reflect this morphological and molecular evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Departments of Biophysics and Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-8816, USA
| | - David C Lees
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
| | - Jinhui Shen
- Departments of Biophysics and Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-8816, USA
| | - Qian Cong
- Institute for Protein Design and Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, HSB J-405, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Blanca Huertas
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
| | - Geoff Martin
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
| | - Nick V Grishin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-9050, USA.,Departments of Biophysics and Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-8816, USA
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7
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Toussaint EFA, Warren AD. A review of red-eye pigmentation and diel activity patterns in skippers (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea, Hesperiidae). J NAT HIST 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1692090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew D. Warren
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Chen QX, Chen YW, Li WL. Ultrastructural comparison of the compound eyes of the Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) under light/dark adaptation. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2019; 53:100901. [PMID: 31760197 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2019.100901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis is one of the most destructive pests of maize throughout eastern Asia and the South Pacific. In the present study the fine structure of the compound eyes of adult O. furnacalis was investigated under light/dark adaptation using light and electron microscopy. The compound eyes of male and female O. furnacalis are superposition eyes with electron-lucent clear zones. The sexual differences of the compound eyes of O. furnacalis are mainly reflected in eye size rather than ommatidial ultrastructure. Each ommatidium of both sexes contains 12 retinula cells, one of which is the basal retinula cell. All the retinula cells form a centrally-fused, two-tiered rhabdom, whose distal layer passes through the clear zone and distally connects with the crystalline cone. The ultrastructural changes under light/dark conditions mainly involve the rhabdom occupation ratio to retinula cell volume in the proximal layer of the rhabdom as well as the dimensions of the subcorneal zone and the crystalline tract. Pigment movements occur within the retinula cells and primary pigment cells, but are undetectable within the secondary pigment cells. Regardless of light or dark adaptation, in other words, the pigments never migrate into the clear zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Xiao Chen
- Laboratory of Insect Evolution and Systematics, Forestry College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, China.
| | - Ying-Wu Chen
- Laboratory of Insect Evolution and Systematics, Forestry College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, China
| | - Wen-Liang Li
- Laboratory of Insect Evolution and Systematics, Forestry College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, China
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Spalding A, Shanks K, Bennie J, Potter U, Ffrench-Constant R. Optical Modelling and Phylogenetic Analysis Provide Clues to the Likely Function of Corneal Nipple Arrays in Butterflies and Moths. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10090262. [PMID: 31443396 PMCID: PMC6780202 DOI: 10.3390/insects10090262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The lenses in compound eyes of butterflies and moths contain an array of nipple-shaped protuberances, or corneal nipples. Previous work has suggested that these nipples increase light transmittance and reduce the eye glare of moths that are inactive during the day. This work builds on but goes further than earlier analyses suggesting a functional role for these structures including, for the first time, an explanation of why moths are attracted to UV light. Using a phylogenetic approach and 3D optical modelling, we show empirically that these arrays have been independently lost from different groups of moths and butterflies and vary within families. We find differences in the shape of nipples between nocturnal and diurnal species, and that anti-glow reflectance levels are different at different wave-lengths, a result thereby contradicting the currently accepted theory of eye glow for predator avoidance. We find that there is reduced reflectance, and hence greater photon absorption, at UV light, which is probably a reason why moths are attracted to UV. We note that the effective refractive index at the end of the nipples is very close to the refractive index of water, allowing almost all the species with nipples to see without distortion when the eye is partially or completely wet and providing the potential to keep eyes dry. These observations provide a functional explanation for these arrays. Of special interest is the finding that their repeated and independent loss across lepidopteran phylogeny is inconsistent with the explanation that they are being lost in the ‘higher’, more active butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Spalding
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter in Cornwall, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK.
- Spalding Associates (Environmental) Ltd., 10 Walsingham Place, Truro TR1 2RP, UK.
| | - Katie Shanks
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Jon Bennie
- Centre for Geography and Environmental Science, Peter Lanyon Building, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, Cornwall, PenrynTR10 9FE, UK
| | - Ursula Potter
- Microscopy & Analysis Suite, Faculty of Science, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Richard Ffrench-Constant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter in Cornwall, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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Macias-Muñoz A, Rangel Olguin AG, Briscoe AD. Evolution of Phototransduction Genes in Lepidoptera. Genome Biol Evol 2019; 11:2107-2124. [PMID: 31298692 PMCID: PMC6698658 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Vision is underpinned by phototransduction, a signaling cascade that converts light energy into an electrical signal. Among insects, phototransduction is best understood in Drosophila melanogaster. Comparison of D. melanogaster against three insect species found several phototransduction gene gains and losses, however, lepidopterans were not examined. Diurnal butterflies and nocturnal moths occupy different light environments and have distinct eye morphologies, which might impact the expression of their phototransduction genes. Here we investigated: 1) how phototransduction genes vary in gene gain or loss between D. melanogaster and Lepidoptera, and 2) variations in phototransduction genes between moths and butterflies. To test our prediction of phototransduction differences due to distinct visual ecologies, we used insect reference genomes, phylogenetics, and moth and butterfly head RNA-Seq and transcriptome data. As expected, most phototransduction genes were conserved between D. melanogaster and Lepidoptera, with some exceptions. Notably, we found two lepidopteran opsins lacking a D. melanogaster ortholog. Using antibodies we found that one of these opsins, a candidate retinochrome, which we refer to as unclassified opsin (UnRh), is expressed in the crystalline cone cells and the pigment cells of the butterfly, Heliconius melpomene. Our results also show that butterflies express similar amounts of trp and trpl channel mRNAs, whereas moths express ∼50× less trp, a potential adaptation to darkness. Our findings suggest that while many single-copy D. melanogaster phototransduction genes are conserved in lepidopterans, phototransduction gene expression differences exist between moths and butterflies that may be linked to their visual light environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aide Macias-Muñoz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine
| | | | - Adriana D Briscoe
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine
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O'Flynn BG, Suarez G, Hawley AJ, Merkler DJ. Insect Arylalkylamine N-Acyltransferases: Mechanism and Role in Fatty Acid Amide Biosynthesis. Front Mol Biosci 2018; 5:66. [PMID: 30094237 PMCID: PMC6070697 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2018.00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Arylalkylamine N-acyltransferases (AANATs) catalyze the formation of an N-acylamide from an acyl-CoA thioester and an amine. One well known example is the production of N-acetylserotonin from acetyl-CoA and serotonin, a reaction in the melatonin biosynthetic pathway from tryptophan. AANATs have been identified from a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates. Considerable efforts have been devoted to the mammalian AANAT because a cell-permeable inhibitor specifically targeted against this enzyme could prove useful to treat diseases related to dysfunction in melatonin production. Insects are an interesting model for the study of AANATs because more than one isoform is typically expressed by a specific insect and the different insect AANATs (iAANATs) serve different roles in the insect cell. In contrast, mammals express only one AANAT. The major role of iAANATs seem to be in the production of N-acetyldopamine, a reaction important in the tanning and sclerotization of the cuticle. Metabolites identified in insects including N-acetylserotonin and long-chain N-fatty acyl derivatives of dopamine, histidine, phenylalanine, serotonin, tyrosine, and tryptophan are likely produced by an iAANAT. In vitro studies of specific iAANATs are consistent with this hypothesis. In this review, we highlight the current metabolomic knowledge of the N-acylated aromatic amino acids and N-acylated derivatives of the aromatic amino acids, the current mechanistic understanding of the iAANATs, and explore the possibility that iAANATs serve as insect "rhymezymes" regulating photoperiodism and other rhythmic processes in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - David J. Merkler
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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Kawahara AY, Breinholt JW, Espeland M, Storer C, Plotkin D, Dexter KM, Toussaint EFA, St Laurent RA, Brehm G, Vargas S, Forero D, Pierce NE, Lohman DJ. Phylogenetics of moth-like butterflies (Papilionoidea: Hedylidae) based on a new 13-locus target capture probe set. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2018; 127:600-605. [PMID: 29902572 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The Neotropical moth-like butterflies (Hedylidae) are perhaps the most unusual butterfly family. In addition to being species-poor, this family is predominantly nocturnal and has anti-bat ultrasound hearing organs. Evolutionary relationships among the 36 described species are largely unexplored. A new, target capture, anchored hybrid enrichment probe set ('BUTTERFLY2.0') was developed to infer relationships of hedylids and some of their butterfly relatives. The probe set includes 13 genes that have historically been used in butterfly phylogenetics. Our dataset comprised of up to 10,898 aligned base pairs from 22 hedylid species and 19 outgroups. Eleven of the thirteen loci were successfully captured from all samples, and the remaining loci were captured from ≥94% of samples. The inferred phylogeny was consistent with recent molecular studies by placing Hedylidae sister to Hesperiidae, and the tree had robust support for 80% of nodes. Our results are also consistent with morphological studies, with Macrosoma tipulata as the sister species to all remaining hedylids, followed by M. semiermis sister to the remaining species in the genus. We tested the hypothesis that nocturnality evolved once from diurnality in Hedylidae, and demonstrate that the ancestral condition was likely diurnal, with a shift to nocturnality early in the diversification of this family. The BUTTERFLY2.0 probe set includes standard butterfly phylogenetics markers, captures sequences from decades-old museum specimens, and is a cost-effective technique to infer phylogenetic relationships of the butterfly tree of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akito Y Kawahara
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Jesse W Breinholt
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; RAPiD Genomics, 747 SW 2nd Avenue, IMB#14, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA
| | - Marianne Espeland
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Arthropoda Department, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Adenauer Allee 160, Bonn 53113, Germany
| | - Caroline Storer
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - David Plotkin
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Kelly M Dexter
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | | | - Ryan A St Laurent
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Gunnar Brehm
- Institute of Zoology and Evolutionary Biology with Phyletic Museum, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena 07743, Germany
| | - Sergio Vargas
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Departamento de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Dimitri Forero
- Laboratorio de Entomología, Departamento de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Naomi E Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - David J Lohman
- Biology Department, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA; Ph.D. Program in Biology, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA; Entomology Section, National Museum of the Philippines, Manila 1000, Philippines
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Pirih P, Ilić M, Rudolf J, Arikawa K, Stavenga DG, Belušič G. The giant butterfly-moth Paysandisia archon has spectrally rich apposition eyes with unique light-dependent photoreceptor dynamics. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2018; 204:639-651. [PMID: 29869100 PMCID: PMC6028894 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-018-1267-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The palm borer moth Paysandisia archon (Burmeister, 1880) (fam. Castniidae) is a large, diurnally active palm pest. Its compound eyes consist of ~ 20,000 ommatidia and have apposition optics with interommatidial angles below 1°. The ommatidia contain nine photoreceptor cells and appear structurally similar to those in nymphalid butterflies. Two morphological ommatidial types were identified. Using the butterfly numbering scheme, in type I ommatidia, the distal rhabdom consists exclusively of the rhabdomeres of photoreceptors R1–2; the medial rhabdom has contributions from R1–8. The rhabdom in type II ommatidia is distally split into two sub-rhabdoms, with contributions from photoreceptors R2, R3, R5, R6 and R1, R4, R7, R8, respectively; medially, only R3–8 and not R1–2 contribute to the fused rhabdom. In both types, the pigmented bilobed photoreceptors R9 contribute to the rhabdom basally. Their nuclei reside in one of the lobes. Upon light adaptation, in both ommatidial types, the rhabdoms secede from the crystalline cones and pigment granules invade the gap. Intracellular recordings identified four photoreceptor classes with peak sensitivities in the ultraviolet, blue, green and orange wavelength regions (at 360, 465, 550, 580 nm, respectively). We discuss the eye morphology and optics, the photoreceptor spectral sensitivities, and the adaptation to daytime activity from a phylogenetic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Primož Pirih
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan International Village, Hayama, 240-0115, Kanagawa, Japan. .,Department of Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 9, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Marko Ilić
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jerneja Rudolf
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgt. 55, 5006, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kentaro Arikawa
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan International Village, Hayama, 240-0115, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Doekele G Stavenga
- Department of Computational Physics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, NL, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gregor Belušič
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Espeland M, Breinholt J, Willmott KR, Warren AD, Vila R, Toussaint EF, Maunsell SC, Aduse-Poku K, Talavera G, Eastwood R, Jarzyna MA, Guralnick R, Lohman DJ, Pierce NE, Kawahara AY. A Comprehensive and Dated Phylogenomic Analysis of Butterflies. Curr Biol 2018; 28:770-778.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.01.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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15
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Diel behavior in moths and butterflies: a synthesis of data illuminates the evolution of temporal activity. ORG DIVERS EVOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-017-0350-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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16
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Stöckl AL, Ribi WA, Warrant EJ. Adaptations for nocturnal and diurnal vision in the hawkmoth lamina. J Comp Neurol 2015; 524:160-75. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.23832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Revised: 06/06/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna L. Stöckl
- Department of Biology; Lund University; 22362 Lund Sweden
| | - Willi A. Ribi
- Department of Biology; Lund University; 22362 Lund Sweden
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University; Canberra ACT 02200 Australia
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Kristensen NP. Intraspecific variability in gross design of moth brains: A caveat concerning expectedly ‘good characters’ in systematic entomology (Insecta: Lepidoptera). ZOOL ANZ 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2013.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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18
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Xu P, Lu B, Xiao H, Fu X, Murphy RW, Wu K. The evolution and expression of the moth visual opsin family. PLoS One 2013; 8:e78140. [PMID: 24205129 PMCID: PMC3813493 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Because visual genes likely evolved in response to their ambient photic environment, the dichotomy between closely related nocturnal moths and diurnal butterflies forms an ideal basis for investigating their evolution. To investigate whether the visual genes of moths are associated with nocturnal dim-light environments or not, we cloned long-wavelength (R), blue (B) and ultraviolet (UV) opsin genes from 12 species of wild-captured moths and examined their evolutionary functions. Strong purifying selection appeared to constrain the functions of the genes. Dark-treatment altered the levels of mRNA expression in Helicoverpa armigera such that R and UV opsins were up-regulated after dark-treatment, the latter faster than the former. In contrast, B opsins were not significantly up-regulated. Diel changes of opsin mRNA levels in both wild-captured and lab-reared individuals showed no significant fluctuation within the same group. However, the former group had significantly elevated levels of expression compared with the latter. Consequently, environmental conditions appeared to affect the patterns of expression. These findings and the proportional expression of opsins suggested that moths potentially possessed color vision and the visual system played a more important role in the ecology of moths than previously appreciated. This aspect did not differ much from that of diurnal butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengjun Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Bin Lu
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Haijun Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaowei Fu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Robert W. Murphy
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P.R. China
| | - Kongming Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
- * E-mail:
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Kristensen NP, Rota J, Fischer S. Notable plesiomorphies and notable specializations: head structure of the primitive "tongue moth" Acanthopteroctetes unifascia (Lepidoptera: Acanthopteroctetidae). J Morphol 2013; 275:153-72. [PMID: 24127297 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Revised: 08/26/2013] [Accepted: 08/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The Acanthopteroctetidae are one of the first-originated family-group lineages within "tongue moths" (Lepidoptera-Glossata). The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive account (based on whole mount preparations, serial sections, and Scanning electron microscopy) of the cephalic structure of an adult exemplar of the family, to supplement the sparse available information. Notable plesiomorphies include the retention of frontal retractors of the narrow labrum, a high supraocular index linked to strong development of cranio-mandibular ad- and abductors, and perhaps the unusually short but still coilable (just ca. 1.5 turns) galeal "tongue." Notable specializations (probably mostly family autapomorphies) include a complement of large sensilla placodea on the male antennae, an apical attachment of the long dorsal tentorial arm to the cranium, an extreme reduction of the single-segmented labial palps, a particularly strong subgenal bridge and a surface structure of near-parallel ridges on the ommatidial corneae. The presence of sizable saccular mandibular (type 1) glands opening into the adductor apodeme is unexpected, no counterparts being known from neighboring taxa. The same is true for ventral salivarium dilator muscles originating on the prelabium; and tentatively suggested to be homologues of the extrinsic palp flexors (the insertion shift being related to loss of original function due to palp reduction), rather than to the ventral salivarium muscles of more basal insects. A complete "deutocerebral loop"' may or may not be developed, as is true for a mutual appression of the optic lobe and circumoesophageal connective/suboesophageal ganglion, enclosing the anterior tentorial arm between them; a suboesophageal innervation of the retrocerebral complex was not observed. No characters bearing on the monophyly of the Coelolepida were identified. The scapo-pedicellar articulation with a scapal process and a smooth intercalary sclerite is reminiscent of conditions in Neopseustidae, but remains debatable as a synapomorphy of the two families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels P Kristensen
- Entomology Department, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Chu WC, Lee YM, Henry Sun Y. FGF /FGFR signal induces trachea extension in the drosophila visual system. PLoS One 2013; 8:e73878. [PMID: 23991208 PMCID: PMC3753266 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 07/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila compound eye is a large sensory organ that places a high demand on oxygen supplied by the tracheal system. Although the development and function of the Drosophila visual system has been extensively studied, the development and contribution of its tracheal system has not been systematically examined. To address this issue, we studied the tracheal patterns and developmental process in the Drosophila visual system. We found that the retinal tracheae are derived from air sacs in the head, and the ingrowth of retinal trachea begin at mid-pupal stage. The tracheal development has three stages. First, the air sacs form near the optic lobe in 42-47% of pupal development (pd). Second, in 47-52% pd, air sacs extend branches along the base of the retina following a posterior-to-anterior direction and further form the tracheal network under the fenestrated membrane (TNUFM). Third, the TNUFM extend fine branches into the retina following a proximal-to-distal direction after 60% pd. Furthermore, we found that the trachea extension in both retina and TNUFM are dependent on the FGF(Bnl)/FGFR(Btl) signaling. Our results also provided strong evidence that the photoreceptors are the source of the Bnl ligand to guide the trachea ingrowth. Our work is the first systematic study of the tracheal development in the visual system, and also the first study demonstrating the interactions of two well-studied systems: the eye and trachea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chen Chu
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Ming Lee
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi Henry Sun
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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21
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Fischer S, Meyer-Rochow VB, Müller CHG. Compound Eye Miniaturization in Lepidoptera: a comparative morphological analysis. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/azo.12041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Fischer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience; Life Sciences Centre; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada B3H 4R2
- Faculty of Engineering and Science; Jacobs University Bremen; Campus Ring 1 28759 Bremen Germany
| | - Victor Benno Meyer-Rochow
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience; Life Sciences Centre; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada B3H 4R2
- Department of Biology; Oulu University; P.O.Box 3000 SF 90014 Oulu Finland
| | - Carsten H. G. Müller
- Department Cytology and Evolutionary Biology; Zoological Institute and Museum; Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald; Soldmannstrasse 23 17487 Greifswald Germany
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22
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Chen Q, Wei Y, Hua B. Ultrastructural comparison of the compound eyes of Sinopanorpa and Panorpa (Mecoptera: Panorpidae). Micron 2012; 43:893-901. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2012.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2011] [Revised: 03/07/2012] [Accepted: 03/07/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Fischer S, Meyer-Rochow VB, Müller CHG. Challenging limits: Ultrastructure and size-related functional constraints of the compound eye of Stigmella microtheriella (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae). J Morphol 2012; 273:1064-78. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2011] [Revised: 04/13/2012] [Accepted: 04/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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24
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Fischer S, Müller CHG, Meyer-Rochow VB. Neither apposition nor superposition: the compound eyes of the Chestnut Leafminer Cameraria ohridella. ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00435-011-0141-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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25
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Friedrich M, Wood EJ, Wu M. Developmental evolution of the insect retina: insights from standardized numbering of homologous photoreceptors. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2011; 316:484-99. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.21424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Revised: 05/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Ultrastructure of the compound eyes in the hangingfly Bittacus planus Cheng (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Micron 2010; 41:953-9. [PMID: 20688525 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2010.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2010] [Revised: 07/11/2010] [Accepted: 07/11/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The ultrastructure of the apposition eyes in the hangingfly Bittacus planus Cheng was investigated using transmission electron microscopy. The compound eyes are composed of approximately 1000 contiguous ommatidia, each of which consists of a biconvex cornea, a crystalline cone, eight retinula cells, two primary pigment cells, and 12 secondary pigment cells. The rhabdom is of fused-type and formed by the rhabdomeres from eight retinula cells that run from the cone to the basal lamina, although the rhabdomere from the basal retinula cell (R8) only contributed to the lowest part of the rhabdom. The pigment granules are spread evenly in the primary pigment cells but are concentrated at the proximal and distal ends in the secondary pigment cells, and close to the rhabdom in retinula cells. The rhabdom is peculiar for the presence of gaps at the outer corner of each two adjoining rhabdomeres in different levels of retinula cell except for the proximal zone.
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Wcislo WT, Tierney SM. Behavioural environments and niche construction: the evolution of dim-light foraging in bees. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2008; 84:19-37. [PMID: 19046401 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2008.00059.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Most bees forage for floral resources during the day, but temporal patterns of foraging activity vary extensively, and foraging in dim-light environments has evolved repeatedly. Facultative dim-light foraging behaviour is known in five of nine families of bees, while obligate behaviour is known in four families and evolved independently at least 19 times. The light intensity under which bees forage varies by a factor of 10(8), and therefore the evolution of dim-light foraging represents the invasion of a new, extreme niche. The repeated evolution of dim-light foraging behaviour in bees allows tests of the hypothesis that behaviour acts as an evolutionary pacemaker. With the exception of one species of Apis, facultative dim-light foragers show no external structural traits that are thought to enable visually mediated flight behaviour in low-light environments. By contrast, most obligate dim-light foragers show a suite of convergent optical traits such as enlarged ocelli and compound eyes. In one intensively studied species (Megalopta genalis) these optical changes are associated with neurobiological changes to enhance photon capture. The available ecological evidence suggests that an escape from competition for pollen and nectar resources and avoidance of natural enemies are driving factors in the evolution of obligate dim-light foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- William T Wcislo
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá.
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Ommatidia of blow fly, house fly, and flesh fly: implication of their vision efficiency. Parasitol Res 2008; 103:123-31. [PMID: 18343951 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-008-0939-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2008] [Accepted: 02/20/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This work aims to elucidate the number of ommatidia or facets (the outwardly visible units of each ommatidium) for compound eyes in blow flies [Chrysomya megacephala (F.), Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart), Chrysomya nigripes (Aubertin), Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann)], house flies (Musca domestica L.), and flesh flies (Liosarcophaga dux Thomson) by manual counts of the corneal spreads. The head of the fly in each species was soaked in 20% potassium hydroxide solution at room temperature for 7 days, and the clear compound eye was dissected into six small parts, each of which was placed onto a slide and flattened using a coverslip. Images of each part were obtained using a microscope connected to a computer. The printed images of each part were magnified, and the total number of ommatidia per eye was manually counted. For males, the mean number of ommatidia was statistically different among all flies examined: L. dux (6,032) > C. rufifacies (5,356) > C. nigripes (4,798) > C. megacephala (4,376) > L. cuprina (3,665) > M. domestica (3,484). Likewise, the mean number of facets in females was statistically different: L. dux (6,086) > C. megacephala (5,641) > C. rufifacies (5,208) > C. nigripes (4,774) > L. cuprina (3,608) > M. domestica (3433). Scanning electron microscopy analysis of adult flies revealed the sexual dimorphism in the compound eye. Male C. megacephala had large ommatidia in the upper two thirds part and small ommatidia in the lower one third part, whereas only small ommatidia were detected in females. Dense postulate appearance was detected in the external surface of the corneal lens of the ommatidia of C. megacephala, C. rufifacies, and C. nigripes, while a mix of dense postulate appearance and variable groove array length was detected in L. cuprina and M. domestica. The probable functions of ommatidia are discussed with reference to other literature.
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