Pheromone Producing Dorsal Abdominal Glands in Leptocoris augur

Morphology of the scent (pheromone) glands is the first and basic step in understanding the mechanism of working of this highly evolved and integrated system of communication in insects. Leptocoris augur contains a pair of large and distinct symmetric exocrine dorsal abdominal glands (DAGs) found in the dorsal abdominal segments. The glands are simple, voluminous, sac-like and bright orange that turn brown and downsized with age. They are invested with a large and dense network of trachea and open to the exterior via minute slit shaped openings in the form of ostioles that remain permanently open to the outside. The functional specificity of these glands can be associated with the activities ranging from aggregation to sexual behaviours like courtship and mating. The mating is not restricted to a specific season, being distributed all-round the year; however, the insect prefers low and humid temperature for mating and they can be seen congregating in huge numbers when the hot summers subside and the rainy season arrives. We didn’t observe any considerable variation in size of these glands with respect to the body size in between the instars and the adults. Further, there were no significant difference between males and females in terms of the size of these DAGs.

The dorsal abdominal glands and the higher classification of the Phoridae (Diptera)

A brief historical review of the proposed subfamilies and tribes within the Phoridae is provided. The value of the position of the female dorsal abdominal glands in the Metopininae is highlighted. It is proposed that these discharge between tergites 4 and 5 in the thus newly diagnosed Metopinini and between T5 and T6 in the resurrected tribe Gymnophorini, which embraces the Beckerinini of previous authors plus the Megaseliini, which are both synonymised with the newly diagnosed Gymnophorini. This tribe, therefore, now includes more than half the known species of Phoridae. The genus Aenigmatopoeus Schmitz is transferred from the Aenigmatiinae to the Metopininae, Metopinini, thus further undermining the presumed monophyly of the Aenigmatiinae, which may be just a polyphyletic assemblage with convergently similar flightless females.

Ultrastructure of scent glands in larvae of Apateticus bracteatus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and chemical composition of the secretion

The three dorsal abdominal glands in larvae of Apateticus bracteatus (Pentatomidae) secrete a mixture of compounds. Major volatile constituents of the secretion are identified, herein, as tridecane and 2-octenal. There are also trace amounts of 2-hexenal and two other unidentified compounds.Each of the glands has paired orifices that are located between tergites 3/4, 4/5, and 5/6, but only the most anterior gland is paired. In anterior glands of midinstar larvae, glandular cells associated with ducts, and interstitial glandular cells are distributed along the ventral walls of the reservoirs. In posterior glands, columnar glandular cells are located in the anterior dorsal wall of the reservoirs; secretory cells associated with ducts, and nonglandular interstitial cells are distributed throughout the ventral and posterior walls of the reservoirs. The interstitial glandular cells of the anterior gland and the columnar glandular cells of the middle and posterior glands contain cytoplasmic organelles characteristic of lipid-producing cells. In all glands the secretory cells associated with ducts secrete lipids. Evidence indicating the importance of Golgi and ER in secretion synthesis is presented. The reservoirs and ducts have a thin cuticular lining.The bearing of the results on present ideas of gland function in Heteroptera is discussed.