Ultrastructure Characteristics and Sexual Dimorphism of Antennal Sensilla in Tirathaba rufivena (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

SIMPLE SUMMARY: To elucidate the external morphology and internal structures of antennal sensilla that could play a role in locating host plants and mates, we describe and further characterize the ultrastructure, abundance and distribution of nine sensilla types in both sexes using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Sexual dimorphism mainly occurs in variation in the length of sensilla basiconica, sensilla chaetica, sensilla coeloconica 1 and Böhm sensilla, and the abundance of sensilla basiconica, sensilla auricillica 1 and sensilla auricillica 2. The possible structural function of each kind of sensillum is discussed. These results provide direct morphological evidence that the antennae of Tirathaba rufivena possess structures that can play a role in locating mates and host plants. ABSTRACT: Tirathaba rufivena Walker, a major insect pest of Areca catechu L., has severely threatened areca nut cultivation in Hainan, China. To improve our understanding of the communication mechanism in host plant seeking and mate-finding for T. rufivena, we described and further characterized the external morphology and internal sensilla structures using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy in this study. The antennal morphology was similar between males and females, and there was no significant difference in length between the two sexes. In total, nine sensilla types were identified: sensilla trichodea (Str), sensilla chaetica (Sch), sensilla basiconica (Sba), sensilla auricillica (Sau), sensilla coeloconica (Sco), sensilla styloconica (Sst), Böhm sensilla (Bs), uniporous peg sensilla (Ups) and sensilla squamiformia (Ssq). Sexual dimorphism mainly occurs in variation in the length of Sba, Sch, Sco1 and Bs, and the abundance of Sba, Sau1 and Sau2. The Sba had larger size and numbers on female antennae than that on males, suggesting that these sensilla might have important roles in locating host plants. Both Sau1 and Sau2 were significantly more abundant in females and were probably associated with the detection of mates and host plant for oviposition. These data were important for ongoing studies on host plant seeking and mate-finding behavior in T. rufivena and provided a theoretical foundation to further studies of semiochemical control for this pest.