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A reappraisal of insect haemocyte classification by the examination of blood from fifteen insect orders

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Summary

A simplified insect haemocyte classification has been formulated by a light microscopic examination of the haemolymph of insects from fifteen Orders. Six cell types or developmental stages can be distinguished: (1) Prohaemocytes, (2) Plasmatocytes, (3) Granular Cells, (4) Spherule Cells, (5) Cystocytes, and (6) Oenocytoids.

The structure and occurrence of these haemocytes are described together with the structural variations which occur in each cell type. Due to considerable overlap in structure and the presence of numerous intermediates the six cell types may represent different developmental and/or functional stages of one basic cell type. The available evidence for this unitarian hypothesis is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University College, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK

    C. D. Price & N. A. Ratcliffe

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  1. C. D. Price
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  2. N. A. Ratcliffe
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Additional information

We are grateful to Professor E. W. Knight-Jones in whose department the work was carried out, to Dr. P. Makings for critically reading the manuscript and making valuable suggestions, and to the Royal Society for financial assistance to one of us (N.A.R.). We are also indebted to numerous colleagues in other institutions for generously providing many different insect species and to Mr. R. Guntrip for his technical assistance.

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Price, C.D., Ratcliffe, N.A. A reappraisal of insect haemocyte classification by the examination of blood from fifteen insect orders. Z.Zellforsch 147, 537–549 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307254

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307254

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