A longitudinal study of two species of Belostoma Latreille (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae): allometry and ontogeny
AUTOR(ES)
Iglesias, Mónica S., Gaspe, María S., Valverde, Alejandra C.
FONTE
Neotropical Entomology
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO
2008-12
RESUMO
The multivariate allometric growth patterns from longitudinal data of leg and rostral segments of all instars of Belostoma elegans (Mayr) and B. cummingsi De Carlo are presented for the first time, and the allometric coefficients are compared. The segments of the middle and hind legs present allometric coefficients with opposite polarity to those of forelegs. This discrepancy in the ontogenetic trajectories may be due to the different functions of the legs. The foreleg main function is to capture of the prey, while the middle and hind legs are adapted to swimming. The relative size of rostral segments is an important taxonomic character in Belostoma. In B. cummingsi, the proximal segment is longer than the middle one, while in B. elegans they are subequal. Our purpose is to explain these differences through the analysis of their ontogenetic trajectories in an attempt to illuminate the morphological differences among species from a developmental perspective.
Documentos Relacionados
- The small species of Belostoma (Heteroptera, Belostomatidae): I. Key to species groups and a revision of the denticolle group
- Predation on Biomphalaria sp. (Mollusca: Planorbidae) by three species of the genus Belostoma (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae)
- Duas novas espécies de Belostoma Latreille, 1807 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Belostomatidae) do grupo plebejum sensu Nieser, 1975
- Estudo comparativo da ação da saliva de triatomíneos (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) e do predador Belostoma anurum (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae) sobre as preparações de nervo isolado de Rattus novergicus e de vaso dorsal de Rhodnius prolixus.
- Espécies de Belostoma Latreille (Heteroptera, Belostomatidae) de pequeno porte. III. Revisão do grupo oxyurum com uma nova espécie do Brasil e a descrição do macho de B. noualhieri Montandon