Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India.
J Med Entomol. 2021 Mar 12;58(2):658-665. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjaa251.
A relevant species in waste management but also in forensic, medical, and veterinary sciences is the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus; Diptera: Stratiomyidae). An ultrastructural study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was conducted for the first time on maxillary palps of both sexes, describing in detail the morphology and distribution of sensilla and microtrichia. The maxillary palps, composed of two segments, show sexual dimorphism in length and shape. In both sexes, the first segment is covered only by microtrichia, but the second one is divided into two parts: the proximal one, covered only by microtrichia, and the distal one containing both microtrichia and sensory structures. These structures include two types of sensory pits and one of chaetic sensilla. Due to sexual dimorphism in palp size, females have a higher number of sensory pits. The sexual dimorphism of palps and the presence and role of sensilla in H. illucens was discussed in comparison to other species of the family Stratiomyidae and of other Diptera. This study may represent a base for further investigations on mouthpart structures of this species, involved in key physiological activities, such as feeding, mating and oviposition.
在废物管理中，相关物种，也是法医学、医学和兽医科学中的相关物种，是黑皮蠹，Hermetia illucens（Linnaeus；双翅目：Stratiomyidae）。首次通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）对两性的上颌触须进行了超微结构研究，详细描述了感觉器官和微刚毛的形态和分布。由两个节段组成的上颌触须在长度和形状上表现出性别二态性。在两性中，第一节仅被微刚毛覆盖，但第二节分为两部分：近端部分仅被微刚毛覆盖，远端部分同时包含微刚毛和感觉结构。这些结构包括两种感觉坑和一种毛状感觉器。由于触须大小的性别二态性，雌性具有更高数量的感觉坑。本文讨论了 H. illucens 触须的性别二态性以及感觉器官的存在和作用，与 Stratiomyidae 科和其他双翅目其他物种进行了比较。本研究可能为进一步研究该物种涉及关键生理活动（如进食、交配和产卵）的口器结构提供基础。
