Occurrence, morphology and ultrastructure of the Dufour gland in Melipona bicolor Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Meliponini)

Revista Brasileira de Entomologia

Fábio Camargo Abdalla¹  Carminda Da Cruz-landim¹ 

[1] ,Universidade Estadual Paulista Instituto de Biociências Departamento de BiologiaRio Claro SP ,Brazil

关键词: Dufour gland;    Melipona bicolor;    meliponine;    morphology;    ultrastructure;    Glândula de Dufour;    Melipona bicolor;    meliponíneo;    morfologia;    ultra-estrutura;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0085-56262004000100002

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

The occurrence, morphology and ultrastructure of the Dufour gland in Melipona bicolor Lepeletier, 1836 are presented. The Dufour gland is not present in workers. In virgin queens the gland cells show characteristics of low activity, which are described in the text. In physogastric queens the gland epithelium is higher and the cells more active than in virgin queens, showing numerous basal plasmic membrane invaginations impregnated by an electrondense material, increased apical invaginations and accumulation of substances that will be released to the gland lumen in the subcuticular space. Therefore, the data show that the Dufour gland is more developed in physogastric than in virgin queens, indicating a possible involvement of the Dufour gland in the reproduction of this species.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC-ND   
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