Abstract
Changes in the midgut of biting midges Culicoides punctatus (Mg.) and C. grisescens (Edw.) in the course of digestion of the single blood portion were studied using methods of light and electron microscopy. Essential differences are shown in structure of intestinal epithelial cells of young non-fed females and adult individuals completing each digestive cycle. Blood digestion in adult females of both species takes about 3.5–4.0 days and is not accompanied by formation of blood thrombus. Formation of the peritrophic membrane occurs at the period of 12 h to 2.5 days after blood-feeding and is associated with secretory activity of cells of the posterior part of midgut. Functions of secretion, absorption, and transport of substances are performed by all cells of intestinal epithelium and to the great extent are overlapped in time. Peculiarities of structural organization of digestion in midges in comparison with other blood-sucking insects are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Gooding, R.H., Digestive Processes of Haematophagous Insects. 1. Literature Review, Questiones Entomologicae, 1972, vol. 8, pp. 5–60.
Billingsley, P.F., The Midgut Ultrastructure of Hematophagous Insects, Annu. Rev. Ent., 1990, vol. 35, pp. 219–248.
Glukhova, V.M., About the Main Evolution Directions and System of the Family Ceratopogonidae, Sistematika i evolyutsiya dvukrylykh (Taxonomy and Evolution of Diptera), Leningrad, 1977, pp. 15–19.
Sieburth, P.J., Nunamaker, C.E., Ellis, J., and Nunamaker, R.A., Infection of the Midgut of Culicoides variipennis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) with Blue-tongue Virus, J. Med. Entomol., 1991, vol. 28, pp. 74–85.
Megahed, M.M., Anatomy and Histology of the Alimentary Tract of the Female of the Biting Midge Culicoides nubeculosus Meigen (Diptera: Heleidae = Ceratopogonidae), Parasitol., 1956, vol. 46, pp. 22–45.
Chaika, S.Yu., On Analysis of Ultrastructure of Midgut of Some Blood-Sucking Flies (Diptera), Entomol. Obozr., 1983, vol. 62, pp. 470–477.
Megahed, M.M., The Distribution of Blood, Water, and Sugar Solution in the Midgut and Oesophageal Diverticulum of Female Culicoides nubeculosus Meigen, Bull. Soc. Entomol. Egypte, 1958, vol. 42, pp. 339–355.
Dyce, A.L., The Recognition of Nulliparous and Parous Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) without Dissection, J. Aust. Ent. Soc., 1969, vol. 8, pp. 11–15.
Billingsley, P.F. and Downe, A.E.R., Ultrastructural Changes in Posterior Midgut Cells Associated with Blood Feeding in Adult Female Phodnius prolixus Stal (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), Can. J. Zool., 1983, vol. 61, pp. 2574–2586.
Lehane, M.J., Digestive Enzyme Secretion in Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae), Cell Tiss. Res., 1976, vol. 170, pp. 275–287.
Brown, R.P., Ultrastructure and Function of Midgut Epithelium in the Tsetse Fly Glossina morsitans Westwood (Diptera: Glossinidae), J. Entomol. Soc. S. Africa, 1980, vol. 43, pp. 195–214.
Staubli, W., Freyvogel, T.A., and Suter, J., Structural Modification of the Endoplasmic Reticulum of Midgut Epithelial Cells of Mosquitoes in Relation to Blood Intake. J. Microscopie, 1966, vol. 5, pp. 189–204.
Hecker, H., Brun, R., Reinhardt, Ch., and Burri, P.H., Morphometric Analysis of the Midgut of Female Aedes aegipti (L.) (Insecta, Diptera) under Various Physiological Conditions, Cell Tiss. Res. 1974, vol. 152, pp. 31–49.
Hecker, H., Structure and Function of Midgut Epithelial Cells in Culicidae Mosquitoes (Insecta, Diptera), Cell Tiss. Res., 1977, vol. 184, pp. 321–341.
Gemetchu, T., The Morphology and the Fine Structure of the Midgut and Peritrophic Membrane of the Adult Female Phlebotomus longipes Parrot a. Martin (Diptera: Psychodiidae), Ann. Trop. Med. Parasit., 1974, vol. 68, pp. 111–124.
Houk, E.J., Midgut Ultrastructure of Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae) before and after Bloodmeal, Tiss. Cell, 1977, vol. 9, pp. 103–118.
Rudin, W. and Hecker, H., Functional Morphology of the Midgut of a Sandfly as Compared to Other Haematophagous Nematocera, Tiss. Cell, 1982, vol. 14, pp. 751–758.
Bertram, D.S. and Bird, R.G., Studies on Mosquito-Borne Viruses in Their Vectors. The Normal Fine Structure of the Midgut Epithelium of the Adult Female Aedes aegypti (L.) and the Functional Significance of Its Modification Following a Bloodmeal, Trans. Roy. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg., 1961, vol. 55, pp. 404–423.
Filimonova, S.A., Changes of Ultrastructure of the Midgut Epithelium of Xenopsylla cheopis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) in the process of Digestion, Parazitol. Sb., 1985, vol. 33, pp. 149–158.
Filimonova, S.A., Morphological Analysis of Digestion in the Flea Leptopsylla segnis (Siphonaptera: Leptopsyllidae), Parazitologiya, 1989, vol. 23, pp. 480–488.
Waku, J. and Sumimoto, K.I., Metamorphosis of Midgut Epithelial Cells in the Silkworm (Bombix mori L.) with Special Regard to the Calcium Salt Deposits in the Cytoplasm. II. Electron Microscopy, Tiss. Cell, 1974, vol. 6, pp. 127–136.
Heinrich, D. and Zebe, E., Zur Feinstruktur der Mitteldarmzellen von Locusta migratoria in Verschiedenen Phasen der Verdaung, Cytobiologie, 1973, vol. 7, pp. 315–326.
Bowen, I.D., Electron Cytochemical Localization of Acid Phosphatase Activity in the Digestive Caeca of the Desert Locust, J. Roy. Micr. Soc., 1968, vol. 88, pp. 279–289.
Beadle, D.J. and Gahan, P.B., Cytochemical Studies of the Types and Localization of Acid Phosphatases on the Various Regions of the Midgut Epithelium of Carassius morosus, Histochem. J., 1969, vol. 1, pp. 539–549.
Ferreira, C. and Terra, W.R., Intracellular Distribution of Hydrolyses in Midgut Caeca Cells from an Insect with Emphasis on Plasma Membrane-Bound Enzymes, Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 1980, vol. 66B, pp. 467–473.
Graf, R., Raikhel, A.S., Brown, M.R., Lea, A.O., and Breigel, H., Mosquito Trypsin: Immunocytochemical Localization in the Midgut of Blood-Fed Aedes aegypti (L.), Cell Tiss. Res., 1986, vol. 245, pp. 19–27.
Filimonova, S.A., Formation of the Peritrophic Membrane in the Gut of Culicoides punctatus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Parazitoplogiya, 2004, vol. 38, pp. 12–19.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
__________
Translated from Zhurnal Evolyutsionnoi Biokhimii i Fiziologii, Vol. 41, No. 2, 2005, pp. 176–185.
Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Filimonova.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Filimonova, S.A. Morphological Study of Digestive Cycle in Bloodsucking Biting Midges of Genus Cu1icoides. J Evol Biochem Phys 41, 221–232 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10893-005-0057-8
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10893-005-0057-8