Concealed Androconial Scales in Metalmark Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae): New Insights from Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy
2017
Montejo-Kovacevich, Gabriela | Goral, Tomasz | Huertas, Blanca
Confocal scanning microscopy is widely used in the biological sciences—from tissue protein expression to the study of fossil amber inclusions. However, it is rarely used in insect taxonomy despite its unique feature for the examination of structural detail in small samples. In this study, we use confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to image certain poorly studied male secondary sexual organs, namely androconial scales, in a group of riodinid butterflies (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae). This group shows cryptic and mimetic morphology, so pheromones are thought to play an important role in mate choice. We found significant interspecific structural differences in androconial patches. The use of CLSM provides a simple, nondestructive and highly effective method to examine complex morphological characters, which could be applied to other structures and taxa across Lepidoptera and other insects.
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