Proboscis morphology and its relationship to feeding habits in noctuid moths

Maurício Moraes Zenker1a*, Carla Penz2b, Michele de Paris3c and Alexandre Specht3, 4d

1Laboratório de Entomologia, Departamento de Biodiversidade e Ecologia, Faculdade de Biociências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. Av. Ipiranga, 6681, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
2Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, 70148, USA.
3Laboratório de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Exatas, da Natureza e de Tecnologia, Campus Universitário da Região dos Vinhedos, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Caixa Postal 32, 95700-000 Bento Gonçalves, RS, Brazil
4Instituto de Biotecnologia, Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Cidade Universitária. Caixa Postal 1352, 95070-560, Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil

Abstract

This study describes proboscis morphology and identifies morphometric differences among five species of noctuid moths with different feeding habits (fruit versus nectar-feeding). Morphological and morphometric parameters were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Measurements included: galea height in ten sites from base to tip, total proboscis length, and length of the distal region that contains large sensilla styloconica and / or tearing hooks and erectible barbs. Both morphometric and morphological differences were identified among species within and between feeding guilds, and these results are discussed in light of the feeding habits of each species.

Keywords: fruit-piercing moths, morphometrics, Calpinae, South America

Correspondence: a* maurizenker@yahoo.com.br, b cpenz@uno.edu, c mp.paris@ibest.com.br, d aspecht@ucs.br, *Corresponding author

Received: 1 March 2010 | Accepted: 8 May 2010 | Published: 6 April 2011

ISSN: 1536-2442 | Volume 11, Number 42

Zenker MM, Penz C, Paris M, Specht A. 2011. Proboscis morphology and its relationship to feeding habits in noctuid moths. Journal of Insect Science 11:42 available online: insectscience.org/11.42


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