Morphological evidence for possible sites of Production of the female sex pheromone of Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Nasra Zohry

doi:10.21608/eajbsd.2010.14153

Abstract

The morphology of the female sex pheromone gland of S. littoralis was studied using scanning electron and light microscopy. This gland is situated ventrally in the intersegmental membrane just in front of the last abdominal segments , the cuticula of the intersegmental membrane between eighth and ninth segments is thickened and slightly raised, bears furrows the rim of which just in front of the ninth is covered with cuticular hairs. The second structure involved in pheromone production is a gland lies in the body cavity situated beneath the eighth and seventh abdominal tergites, as an invagination of the ventral intersegmental membrane between eighth and ninth segments. This gland leads to a duct with an eversible sac. Examination of the tissue with scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of excreted droplets at the tips of cuticular hairs in the glandular area during the period of pheromone production.

Highlights

Females of most moths produce species-specific sex pheromones in specialized glands, generally located on the terminal abdominal segments that constitute the ovipositor. Steinbrecht (1982) studied the location of female pheromone gland in the African armyworm moth, Spodoptera exempta
From behavioral features at calling and from preliminary investigations using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy it has already revealed that the bulk of the pheromone producing area occupied the intersegmental membrane between 8th and 9th segments, the gland in the abdominal cavity that attached to the intersegmental membrane between 8th and 9th segments and the integument around the ninth segment
The cuticula of the intersegmental membrane between eighth and ninth segments is thickened and slightly raised, bears furrows the rim of which just in front of the ninth segment is covered with densely cuticular hairs these results agreed with that reported by Davis and Povel (1993) in female of Yponomeuta latreille

Summary

Introduction

Females of most moths produce species-specific sex pheromones in specialized glands, generally located on the terminal abdominal segments that constitute the ovipositor. Steinbrecht (1982) studied the location of female pheromone gland in the African armyworm moth, Spodoptera exempta. Precy-Cunningham and Macdonald (1987) identified the Pheromone glands of female moths representing 16 families and studied their structural characteristics. A more complete ultrastructural study of the pheromone glands was concluded in Choristoneura fumiferana (Percy, 1974) and Trichoplusia ni (Percy, 1979). In the latter case, the author attempt to correlate ultrastructural changes to production and release of pheromone. Raina et al (2000) studied the morphological location of the sex pheromone producing area in the ovipositor of female corn earworm H. zea and correlated with gas chromatographic analysis of the extracted pheromone. Morphological and histological studies in the production of sex pheromone of Copitarsia consueta (Rojas et al, 1995)

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Conclusion