Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 296-302, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.028

Fine structure of the external sheaths of the ovipositor of Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)Original article

Sara RUSCHIONI1, Paola RIOLO1 *, Roberto ROMANI2, Donatella BATTAGLIA3, Nunzio ISIDORO1
1 Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; e-mails: s.ruschioni@univpm.it, p.riolo@univpm.it, n.isidoro@univpm.it
2 Dipartimento Di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy; e-mail: roberto.romani@unipg.it
3 Dipartimento di Scienze, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano 1, 85100 Potenza, Italy; e-mail: donatella.battaglia@unibas.it

The function and structure of the ovipositor in Hymenoptera have been studied intensively, although there is a lack of information on the external sheaths. We provide here a contribution on the structure of the external sheaths of the ovipositor of the parasitic wasp Aphidius ervi, in particular the secretory structure is described for the first time. These glands are made up of a large epithelial structure that consists a single layer of large secretory cells that occupy most of the lumen of the valve and belong to gland cell class 1. Based on the different features of the glands, a lubricating and/or host marking function is hypothesized and discussed.

Keywords: Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidius ervi, ultrastructure, ovipositor valve, parasitoid, gland, marking pheromone

Received: November 15, 2017; Revised: April 12, 2018; Accepted: April 12, 2018; Published online: June 19, 2018  Show citation

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RUSCHIONI, S., RIOLO, P., ROMANI, R., BATTAGLIA, D., & ISIDORO, N. (2018). Fine structure of the external sheaths of the ovipositor of Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). EJE, 115, Article 296-302. https://doi.org/10.14411/eje.2018.028
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