Peculiarities of the brain organization and fine structure in small insects related to miniaturization. 1. The smallest Coleoptera (Ptiliidae)

Abstract

This paper describes for the first time the organization and fine structure of the brain in the smallest free-living insects Acrotrichis grandicollis, Micado sp., and Nanosella sp. (Ptiliidae, Coleoptera), which were studied using serial histological sections as well as TEM and computer-assisted 3D reconstructions. Some specific structural features related to miniaturization were revealed; the relative size of the brain regions and localization of its structures were analyzed. In spite of the extremely small body size, the brain retains the structure and fine structure typical of larger representatives of related groups, illustrating high conservatism of the brain morphology. Data on the number and size of neurons in the brain of Ptiliidae were obtained. The results obtained confirm and supplement the hypothesis about the factors limiting miniaturization of insects. [The next papers will describe the brain organization in Mymaridae and Trichogrammatidae (Hymenoptera), Corylophidae (Coleoptera), Thripidae (Thysanoptera), and Liposcelidae (Psocoptera).]