Hidden surface microstructures on Carboniferous insect Brodioptera sinensis (Megasecoptera) enlighten functional morphology and sensorial perception.
Hidden surface microstructures on Carboniferous insect Brodioptera sinensis (Megasecoptera) enlighten functional morphology and sensorial perception.
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石炭纪昆虫 Brodioptera sinensis (Megasecoptera) 的隐藏表面微结构启发了功能形态和感官知觉
DOI：
10.1038/srep28316
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发表时间：
2016-06-20
影响因子：
4.6
通讯作者：
Ren D
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Prokop J;Pecharová M;Ren D
巨翅目昆虫是具有囊状口器和叶柄翅的昆虫，与古网翅目密切相关，是在二叠纪-三叠纪大规模灭绝中幸存下来的少数昆虫类群之一。最近在中国北部下河堰的早期宾夕法尼亚沉积物中发现的中华溴虫，增加了我们利用传统光学立体显微镜对其外部形态的了解。触角、口器、翅膀表面、外部交配器官和尾叶等结构的环境扫描电子显微镜（ESEM）揭示了它们的微形态和假定的功能。一项比较研究表明，中华拟杆菌的翼膜上有意想不到的密集刚毛模式。此外，与立体显微镜获得的结果不同，它揭示了男性和女性外生殖器的精细结构和位置明显不同。因此，本研究对以前研究较少的古生代昆虫身体部位的微观结构和功能进行了更仔细的检查，并与其他古网翅目、蜻蜓目和蜉蝣目中出现的同源结构进行了比较。这表明，这些外皮突起的作用和假定功能很可能是协调口器和操纵管心针、逃避捕食者、增强空气动力学特性和交配行为的感觉功能。
Megasecoptera are insects with haustellate mouthparts and petiolate wings closely related to Palaeodictyoptera and one of the few insect groups that didn’t survive the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. Recent discovery of Brodioptera sinensis in early Pennsylvanian deposits at Xiaheyan in northern China has increased our knowledge of its external morphology using conventional optical stereomicroscopy. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) of structures, such as antennae, mouthparts, wing surfaces, external copulatory organs and cerci have shed light on their micromorphology and supposed function. A comparative study has shown an unexpected dense pattern of setae on the wing membrane of B. sinensis. In addition, unlike the results obtained by stereomicroscopy it revealed that the male and female external genitalia clearly differ in their fine structure and setation. Therefore, the present study resulted in a closer examination of the microstructure and function of previously poorly studied parts of the body of Paleozoic insects and a comparison with homologous structures occurring in other Palaeodictyopteroida, Odonatoptera and Ephemerida. This indicates, that the role and presumptive function of these integumental protuberances is likely to have been a sensory one in the coordination of mouthparts and manipulation of stylets, escape from predators, enhancement of aerodynamic properties and copulatory behaviour.