Wang Fengyue, Lu Xue, Wang Zhuangfei, Ma Jing, Zhou Nanling, Hou Xiaohui
School of Preclinical Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
J Insect Sci. 2025 Mar 14;25(2). doi: 10.1093/jisesa/ieaf041.
The external and internal structures of adult males and females of Culicoides grisescens Edwards were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tissue sectioning techniques. Specimens were collected from Qilian Mountain National Park in Qinghai Province, China. The ultrastructure and morphology of the compound eyes, antennae, maxillary palpi, spermathecae, genitalia, and other structural features both male and female adults of C. grisescens are described. Significant morphological differences between the two sexes were observed. The female has a pair of large mandibles with 16 teeth arranged in two rows. The first row contains 16 teeth, while the second row is located near the terminal teeth at the lower part. In contrast, the male mandibles have 2 to 3 teeth, totaling over 20, with a slender structure and small teeth distributed near the center at the terminal end of the mandibles. The tip of the male tongue is narrower and triangular than in shape compared to the female. Additionally, there are significant differences in the shape of the antennae and the types of antennal sensilla between males and females. This study also observed that the middle lobe of the male masculine stem is V-shaped, and the terminal end of the masculine lateral process is bifurcated, featuring 5 to 7 slender, finger-like branches. These unique morphological structures are useful for distinguishing male Culicoides from each other. For the first time, this paper describes the internal structures of this species, including histological sections of the digestive, nervous, respiratory, and reproductive systems. The findings presented herein provide both visual and descriptive details for the systematic taxonomic study of Ceratopogonidae, highlighting their significant economic and medical importance.
利用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和组织切片技术，对灰黑库蠓（Culicoides grisescens Edwards）成年雄性和雌性的外部及内部结构进行了检查。标本采集自中国青海省的祁连山国家公园。描述了灰黑库蠓成年雄性和雌性的复眼、触角、下颚须、受精囊、生殖器及其他结构特征的超微结构和形态。观察到两性之间存在显著的形态差异。雌性有一对大颚，有16颗牙齿排成两排。第一排有16颗牙齿，而第二排在下部靠近末端齿处。相比之下，雄性大颚有2至3颗牙齿，总数超过20颗，结构细长，小齿分布在大颚末端中心附近。雄性舌头的尖端比雌性的更窄且呈三角形。此外，雄性和雌性在触角形状和触角感器类型上也存在显著差异。本研究还观察到雄性阳茎中叶呈V形，阳茎侧突末端分叉，有5至7个细长的指状分支。这些独特的形态结构有助于区分雄性库蠓。本文首次描述了该物种的内部结构，包括消化、神经、呼吸和生殖系统的组织学切片。本文呈现的研究结果为蠓科的系统分类研究提供了直观和描述性的细节，突出了它们重要的经济和医学意义。
