Waterston's organ of the Ceraphronidae (Hymenoptera Ceraphronidea)
1992
Dessart, P. (Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Bruxelles (Belgium). Section des Insectes et Arachnomorphes)
Waterston's organ is reticulate, alveolary area, lying near the fore margin of the abdominal tergite T6 of all the Ceraphronidae of both sexes, at least partially overhung by the preceeding tergite. The author recounts the historics of its discovery and discusses the hypotheses (respiratory, sematic) formerly suggested and proposes another one: the organ could be used as increased evaporation surface of volatile substances (pheromones?): such similar structures are observed, indeed, among some ants where the presence of glands has been demonstrated. The first SEM photos let guess what could be glandular orifices but fine anatomical researches should still confront the hypothesis
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