Abstract
BackgroundInsect wings are an excessively diverse structures, which have fascinated scientist for centuries. Coleoptera is the largest order in the insect group and the most successful animal on earth (Nature Communications 9(205):1–11, 2018). In order to adapt to the change in the environments, they developed strategies to cope up with different factors. The most distinctive feature of beetles is that the forewings are sclerotized into elytra; from this, they get their formal name (koleos = sheath, pteron = wing). The elytra play an important role in protecting the delicate hindwings and the dorsal surface of the abdomen. Besides its influence on protective the hindwing during flight, the forewings are open enough to allow the hindwings to unfold and function.ResultThe structural and mechanical properties in living organisms may improve the understanding of natural solutions and advance the design of novel artificial materials. In this paper, the morphological and histological structure of the wings of two species of beetles, Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum, has been investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The organic chemical function groups of the wings were detected using Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Both Tribolium species have considerable variations regarding the total thickness, and width of the hemolymph space within the elytra. The elytra of both species bear conspicuous field of trichoid sensilla from dorsal side and numerous gland openings with a pit. The michrotrichia found on the ventral side may have an important role in wing folding. The presence of C–H stretching bands with the prevalence of methylene bands may indicate the presence of long-chain aliphatic acids in surface waxes in T. castaneum. The height of the spikes of the hindwings was remarkable by hydrogen-bonded O–H and N–H amide stretching vibration and was correlated to the thickness of the wing.ConclusionInsect wings are a core example of histological and morphological novelty. This study illustrates the morphological and histological structure of both the forewing and hindwing of Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum which were the most destructive pest stored products.
Highlights
Insect wings are an excessively diverse structures, which have fascinated scientist for centuries
Scientists proposed interesting novel models that make better structure performance inspired by beetles, especially the structure of the wings which can be used in industrial applications (Sun & Bhushan, 2012). Another important novel is related to the structure of the wing of Ladybird beetle which lead to the design of flapping wing micro air vehicle, this include small size and ability to fold when not in use, and this lead to the studying of the surface morphology and microstructure of the wings using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) which was reported by Xiang, Du, & Zhen, 2016
There was a rectangular convex in every pit at the apex of the forewing of both T. castaneum and T. confusum; the length and width of the rectangular convex were 9.52 μm and 7.62 μm and 9.52 μm and 4.76 μm, respectively (Fig. 2c, f and Table 1)
Summary
Insect wings are an excessively diverse structures, which have fascinated scientist for centuries. Scientists proposed interesting novel models that make better structure performance inspired by beetles, especially the structure of the wings which can be used in industrial applications (Sun & Bhushan, 2012). Another important novel is related to the structure of the wing of Ladybird beetle which lead to the design of flapping wing micro air vehicle, this include small size and ability to fold when not in use, and this lead to the studying of the surface morphology and microstructure of the wings using SEM, atomic force microscope (AFM), and FTIR which was reported by Xiang, Du, & Zhen, 2016. Linz, Hu, Sitvarin, and Tomoyasu (2016) reported that there are little researches that demonstrated the significance function of the elytra of beetles and applying four stresses on the red flour beetle Tribolium castanaeum: physical damage to hindwings, predation, desiccation, and cold shock to show the importance of elytra. Zohry, 2017 reported the morphological structure of different stages of Tribolium confusum using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Barbara & Piotr, 2017 reported that insect wing has two-layer membrane strengthened by longitudinal vein, cross vein, and supported by extracellular cuticle
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
