scholarly journals Visual ecology of directed aerial descent in first-instar nymphs of the stick insect Extatosoma tiaratum

2015 ◽  
Vol 218 (14) ◽  
pp. 2305-2314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Zeng ◽  
Y. Lin ◽  
A. Abundo ◽  
R. Dudley
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 20160075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zeng ◽  
Kenrick Lam ◽  
Yuexiang Chen ◽  
Mengsha Gong ◽  
Zheyuan Xu ◽  
...  

Numerous wingless arthropods as well as diverse vertebrates are capable of mid-air righting. We studied the biomechanics of the aerial righting reflex in first-instar nymphs of the stick insect Extatosoma tiaratum . After being released upside-down, insects reoriented dorsoventrally and stabilized body posture via active modulation of limb positions and associated aerodynamic torques. We identified specific reflexes for bilaterally asymmetric leg displacements which elicit body rotation and subsequently stabilize mid-air posture. Coordinated appendicular movements thus improve torsional manoeuvrability in the absence of wings, as may have characterized the initial origins of controlled aerial behaviour in arthropods. Design of small aerial or multimodal robotic vehicles may similarly benefit from use of such strategies for flight control.


2015 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Stevens
Keyword(s):  

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 260
Author(s):  
Habibu Mugerwa ◽  
Peter Sseruwagi ◽  
John Colvin ◽  
Susan Seal

In East Africa, the prevalent Bemisia tabaci whiteflies on the food security crop cassava are classified as sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) species. Economically damaging cassava whitefly populations were associated with the SSA2 species in the 1990s, but more recently, it has been to SSA1 species. To investigate whether biological traits (number of first instar nymphs, emerged adults, proportion of females in progeny and development time) of the cassava whitefly species are significant drivers of the observed field abundance, our study determined the development of SSA1 sub-group (SG) 1 (5 populations), SG2 (5 populations), SG3 (1 population) and SSA2 (1 population) on cassava and eggplant under laboratory conditions. SSA1-(SG1-SG2) and SSA2 populations’ development traits were similar. Regardless of the host plant, SSA1-SG2 populations had the highest number of first instar nymphs (60.6 ± 3.4) and emerged adults (50.9 ± 3.6), followed by SSA1-SG1 (55.5 ± 3.2 and 44.6 ± 3.3), SSA2 (45.8 ± 5.7 and 32.6 ± 5.1) and the lowest were SSA1-SG3 (34.2 ± 6.1 and 32.0 ± 7.1) populations. SSA1-SG3 population had the shortest egg–adult emergence development time (26.7 days), followed by SSA1-SG1 (29.1 days), SSA1-SG2 (29.6 days) and SSA2 (32.2 days). Regardless of the whitefly population, development time was significantly shorter on eggplant (25.1 ± 0.9 days) than cassava (34.6 ± 1.0 days). These results support that SSA1-(SG1-SG2) and SSA2 B. tabaci can become highly abundant on cassava, with their species classification alone not correlating with observed abundance and prevalence.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Szpila ◽  
Kinga Walczak ◽  
Nikolas P. Johnston ◽  
Thomas Pape ◽  
James F. Wallman

AbstractThe first instar larva of a species of the Australian endemic genus Aenigmetopia Malloch is described for the first time, along with the first instar larvae of three other Australian species representing the genera Amobia Robineau-Desvoidy and Protomiltogramma Townsend. Larval morphology was analysed using a combination of light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The following morphological structures are documented: pseudocephalon, antennal complex, maxillary palpus, facial mask, modifications of thoracic and abdominal segments, anal region, spiracular field, posterior spiracles and details of the cephaloskeleton. Substantial morphological differences are observed between the three genera, most notably in the labrum and mouthhooks of the cephaloskeleton, sensory organs of the pseudocephalon, spinulation, sculpture of the integument and form of the spiracular field. The first instar larval morphology of Aenigmetopia amissa Johnston, Wallman, Szpila & Pape corroborates the close phylogenetic affinity of Aenigmetopia Malloch with Metopia Meigen, inferred from recent molecular analysis. The larval morphology of Amobia auriceps (Baranov), Protomiltogramma cincta Townsend and Protomiltogramma plebeia Malloch is mostly congruent with the morphology of Palaearctic representatives of both genera.


2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-200
Author(s):  
Koki Yano ◽  
Takahisa Ozaki ◽  
Tomoya Suzuki ◽  
Haruka Yamazaki ◽  
Masayoshi Nasuno ◽  
...  

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 702
Author(s):  
Anastasios I. Darras ◽  
Panagiotis J. Skouras ◽  
Panagiotis Assimomitis ◽  
Chara Labropoulou ◽  
George J. Stathas

UV-C irradiation is known to enhance plant resistance against insect pests. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of low doses of UV-C on Macrosiphum rosae infesting greenhouse rose (Rosa x hybrida) plants. The application of 2.5-kJ/m2 UV-C irradiation on rose leaves before infestation induced anti-herbivore resistance and negatively affected the aphid fecundity. No eggs and first instar nymphs were recorded on irradiated leaves, whereas an average of 4.3 and 2.7 eggs and 6.7 and 14 first instars were recorded on vars. “Etoile Brilante” and “Arlen Francis” untreated leaves, respectively. UV-C irradiation reduced the aphid population from naturally infested rose plants by up to 58%. In a greenhouse pot trial (GPT) in 2019, UV-C irradiation minimised the initial aphid population six hours after treatment. UV-C elicited host resistance and, also, helped in aphid repulsion without killing the adult individuals. UV-C did not affect the physiological responses of rose plants. The net CO2 assimilation of the UV-C irradiated plants ranged between 10.55 and 15.21 μmol/m2. sec for “Arlen Francis” and between 10.51 and 13.75 μmol/m2. sec for “Etoile Brilante” plants. These values, with only a few exceptions, were similar to those recorded to the untreated plants.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document