Post-embryonic Development of Intramandibular Glands in Pachycondyla verenae (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) workers

oleh: Luiza CB Martins, Jacques HC Delabie, Jose C Zanuncio, José Eduardo Serrão

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana 2013-07-01

Deskripsi

<p>The current knowledge of intramandibular glands in Hymenoptera is focused on occurrence and morphology in adult insects. This is the first report regarding the post-embryonic development of intramandibular glands in a “primitive” ant, <em>Pachycondyla verenae</em>. In this study, we analyzed mandibles of prepupae, white-eyed, pink-eyed and black-eyed pupae, pupa of pigmented body pupae, and adults. Adult workers of <em>P. verenae</em> have intramandibular glands with epidermal secretory cells of class I and isolated glands of class III, and both glands have onset differentiation in pink-eyed pupae. Some histological sections were submitted to histochemical test for total proteins and neutral polysaccharides. Histochemical tests showed occurrence of polysaccharides and proteins in epidermal secretory cells of class I from the white-eyed pupae, polysaccharides and proteins in pink-eyed pupae to black-eyed pupae in both glands classes I and III and presence of polysaccharides in adult ants also in both gland classes I and III. Intramandibular glands of classes I and III in <em>P. verenae </em>workers differentiate during pupation, with onset occurring in pink-eyed pupae, and completion occurring in black-eyed pupae.</p>