Antennal ultrastructure in Patia (Pieridae, Dismorphiinae).

In our previous work we studied the ultrastructure of the antennae of pierids through a character analysis. In this study we describe the antennal ultrastructure of three species and six subspecies of Patia focused on these traits at the intrageneric level. Patia is a genus of Dismorphiinae with the highest number of scaleless antennomeres (nudum = 11‒15). Therefore, the length of its antennal club is greater than that of any other genus of the subfamily. Several other features differentiate the species of Patia, particularly the number of sulci and pseudosulci and its contour or perimeter. A pattern was observed, especially in P. rhetes, in which the central sulci are disintegrated and surrounded by several pseudosulci in the basal antennomeres and along the club; in the medial and distal antennomeres, the pseudosulci merge to form sulci aggregates. Pseudosulci are uncommon on the distal antennomeres, even in P. rhetes. The central sulci are irregular and have a discontinuous edge when they are disaggregated and accompanied by pseudosulci; those that are elliptical and have a continuous contour, seldom have pseudosulci nearby. Another noteworthy feature is the different shapes of the distal antennomere that occur in the subspecies of P. cordillera and P. orise. In the former, this antennomere is quite elongated and ends at a point, whereas the distal one is less elongated and its apex blunt. Patia rhetes shows the lowest number of scaleless antennomeres (n = 11) while P. cordillera sspp. the largest (n = 14 or 15). The variety of the sensilla present in the Patia species does not provide specific differences, except in P. cordillera sororna where we discovered the presence of a claviform sensillum that does not present in any other species or subspecies. In our small sample size, we did not observe sexual dimorphism.

Palpos labiales de la mariposa Prestonia clarki (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Ultraestructura de órganos sensoriales y sensilas / Labial palps of the butterfly Prestonia clarki (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Ultrastructure of sensilla and sensory organs

Resumen Los trabajos sobre palpos labiales son muy escasos en Lepidoptera y requieren del uso del microscopio electrónico de barrido. Los tres artejos de los palpos labiales de la coliadina Prestonia clarki se describen e ilustran, así como la distribución de las sensilas y de sus estructuras más distintivas: la mancha sensitiva de Reuter y el órgano Palp pit; el artejo basal es de mayor longitud y el distal el de menor. Se encontraron sensilas quéticas tipo 1 en la superficie de la vista lateral externa de los tres artejos. Las sensilas son más especializadas en el parche o mancha sensitiva de Reuter y en el órgano Palp pit. En la vista lateral interna de la sección proximal del artejo basal se observó esa mancha, la cual comprende un área alargada que integra cientos de microtriquias, diferenciada en tres secciones, cuya área adyacente muestra menor número de microtriquias y de menor longitud. En un corte longitudinal del artejo distal, en su porción más apical, se observó el órgano Palp pit, con forma de botella; en su interior se alojan dos tipos de estructuras, cuya disposición fue: sensilas celocónicas en la sección basal y microtriquias en la distal. Además, se encontraron en el interior del Palp pit dos tipos sensilares de difícil determinación, se denominaron sensilas quéticas tipos 2 y 3, así como las sensilas quéticas tipo 1, localizadas en el borde del Palp pit. Los tipos encontrados y su distribución en el Palp pit coinciden con lo descrito por varios autores en otras especies de lepidópteros.

Abstract Research on labial palps of Lepidoptera is scarce and requires the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy techniques. We describe and illustrate the three segments composing the labial palps of the Coliadinae butterfly Prestonia clarki, as well as the distribution of sensilla and both of palp's distinctive structures: the Reuter's sensitive patch and the Palp pit organ; in the palps, the basal segment is the longest, and the distal segment is the shortest. We found chaetic sensilla type 1 on the lateral outer surface of the segments. In the Reuter's sensitive patch and the Palp pit organ, sensilla are specialized. In a lateral internal view of the proximal section of the basal segment, Reuter's sensitive patch looks as an elongated area with hundreds of microtrichia, differentiated into three sections; the adjacent area shows fewer microtrichia of shorter length. In a longitudinal view of the distal segment, at the apex of the segment, is the bottle-shaped Palp pit organ; inside the Palp pit are coeloconic sensilla in the basal section and microtrichia in the distal one. In addition, two indeterminate types of sensilla similar to chaetic ones were found within the Palp pit; which we called chaetic sensilla types 2 and 3; chaetic sensilla type 1 are located on the edge of the Palp pit. The sensilla types and their distribution in the Palp pit agree with those described in other species of Lepidoptera. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(3): 1324-1346. Epub 2018 September 01.

Antennal ultrastructure of Leptidea Billberg, 1820 (Pieridae: Dismorphiinae: Leptideini) and its taxonomic implications.

We present the results of the first examination and comparative analysis of the ultrastructure of the antennae in seven species of Leptidea Billberg, 1820 (Pieridae). The results add further support to the hypothesis that the subfamily Dismorphiinae is composed of the tribes Leptideini and Dismorphiini. We summarize the results in a table and discuss the ultrastructure similarities and differences between the two tribes. Following a previously proposed framework, we trace the progression of character states and discuss the significance of the results in the context of varying phylogenetic hypotheses for Leptidea, with special emphasis on biogeography. We include a brief description of the terms we employ to described the main characters and types of sensilla of the antennal club of Leptidea. Remarkable antennal sexual dimorphism is noted in L. gigantea.

Comparative exploration of antennae in Pseudopontia, and antennal clubs of the tribes Leptideini and Dismorphiini (Lepidoptera: Pieridae).

We examined antennal ultrastructure in species of Dismorphiinae and Pseudopontiinae (Pieridae) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We examined two species of Pseudopontia (Pseudopontiinae) and more than 30 species in seven genera of two tribes in the subfamily Dismorphiinae: Leptidea, Enantia, Pseudopieris, Lieinix, Moschoneura, Dismorphia, and Patia. We focused on the scaleless terminal area of the antenna where there are many types of sensilla, some of which are clustered together and constitute specialized organs. We measured, described, and illustrate at different magnifications structures including the antennal club, antennomeres, sulci, pseudosulci, and chaetic, trichoid, coeloconic, basiconic, and auriculate sensilla, as well as other previously unnamed sensilla. From these antennal features, we created a matrix of characters that allowed us to recognize divergence between the tribes Leptideini and Dismorphiini. The antennae of Leptideini have fewer scaleless antennomeres in the antennal club than those of Dismorphiini, a greater number of pseudosulci disaggregated or dispersed (in Leptidea), and fewer types of sensilla and microtrichia (a more homogeneous antennal morphology), as well as a reduction in the density of sensilla. In Leptidea the antennal form is more specialized: it is shorter in comparison to genera of other Papilionoidea families. We also created a matrix of general morphological characters of Dismorphiinae and Pieridae from the taxonomic literature. This matrix confirms the marked character divergence between the tribes and allows for a more meaningful discussion regarding the relationships between Dismorphiinae and the other subfamilies of Pieridae (i.e., Pseudopontiinae, Coliadinae, and Pierinae). We argue that Pseudopontiinae cannot be considered the least derived subfamily among Pieridae because pupal features, wing venation, and antennal characters exhibit a combination of primitive and specialized states. In addition, we discuss our results from the perspective of patterns of food plant usage in pierid subfamilies, specifically the diversification of several Dismorphiinae genera on Hologalegina and Ingeae (Fabaceae).