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Title: Studies of in aere formed stylet sheath from the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri, Hemiptera: Psyllidae) and other phytophagous Hemiptera

Author
item Morgan, John
item Shatters, Robert - Bob
item Luzio, Gary
item Ammar, Eldesouky
item Alessandro, Rocco
item Hunter, Wayne

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/9/2012
Publication Date: 11/11/2012
Citation: Morgan, J.K., Shatters, R.G., Luzio, G.A., Ammar, E., Alessandro, R.T., Hunter, W.B. 2012. Compositional and biosynthetic studies of the stylet sheath from the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri, Hemiptera: Psyllidae)[abstract]. 60th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, November 11-14, 2012, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Stylet sheath formation is a common feature among phytophagous hemipterans. These sheaths are considered essential to promote a successful feeding event of these piercing-sucking insects. The stylet sheath composition is unknown and it is suggested that it forms through interactions with external (host plant) molecules. This poster illustrates that stylet sheaths form and solidify in air (in aere) without plant or diet interaction by six hemipteran families: Diaphorina citri (Psyllidae, Asian citrus psyllid), Aphis nerii (Aphididae, oleander/milkweed aphid), Bemisia tabaci biotype B (Aleyrodidae, whitefly), Homalodisca vitripennis (Cicadellidae, glassy-winged sharpshooter), Ferrisia virgata (Pseudococcidae, striped mealybug), and Protopulvinaria pyriformis (Coccidae, pyriform scale). Examination of in aere formed stylet sheaths by confocal and scanning electron microscopy shows a common morphology of continuous hollow core structures with sequentially stacked hardened bulbous droplets. Single and multi-branched sheaths were common, whereas mealybug and scale insects typically produced multi-branched sheaths. Micrographs of the flange region show flange sealing upon stylet bundle extraction for both psyllids and aphids, while whitefly and glassy-winged sharpshooter flanges remain unsealed. Structural similarity of in aere sheaths appear in common to stylet sheaths found in planta and in artificial diets. The use of ‘Solvy’, a dissolvable membrane, for intact (complete) stylet sheath isolation is illustrated. These observations show for the first time this mode of stylet sheath synthesis expanding the understanding of stylet sheath formation in phytophagous hemipterans.