Acta Zoologica

Almeida, Jean Caio Figueiredo; Ferreira, Max Alex Santos; Giese, Elane Guerreiro; Socorro Lima da Silva, Alanna; Lima, Ana Rita; Branco, Érika

doi: 10.1111/azo.70030pmid: N/A

Cathartes aura, commonly known as the Turkey vulture, is a scavenger bird belonging to the family Cathartidae that is widely distributed throughout the Americas and classified as a New World vulture. Its diet primarily consists of small‐sized carcasses, predominantly of wild animals. These dietary patterns, combined with the vulture's behaviour, suggest that food selection may be influenced by competition with more dominant species during disputes over resources. The potential link between gustatory experiences and tongue morphology remains largely unknown. Through macroscopic analysis, light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, we identified that the tongue of Cathartes aura is short, non‐protrusible, and supported by the hyobranchial apparatus, which is composed of long, thin and articulated bones. The tongue has an elongated and concave shape and possesses mechanical papillae arranged along its lateral margins. The dorsal regions of the body, root, glottis and laryngeal mound revealed a significant presence of tubuloalveolar salivary glands, connective tissue, muscle fibres oriented in multiple directions, and bone structures, in addition to vascular and nervous components. No taste buds were visualised. The anatomical adaptations of the tongue in Cathartes aura represent an important functional mechanism, which optimises its feeding strategy and reduces the exposure time spent on carcasses.

Mehta, Vasu; Chandel, Ravinder Singh; Katoch, Vishrava; Singh, Khushwinder

doi: 10.1111/azo.70033pmid: N/A

Pulses play a crucial role in Indian agriculture, contributing significantly to the national economy through substantial export revenue. India is the largest global producer of pulses. These crops are rich in protein (20%–25% by weight), which is approximately twice that of wheat and three times that of rice. However, pulses are susceptible to various insect pests during storage, with the pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis, being a major pest responsible for considerable damage across different pulse varieties. According to life table analysis, the highest Gross Reproductive Rate (GRR) and also Net Reproductive Rate (NRR) were observed in green gram, with values of 56.98 and 34.49, respectively. In contrast, kidney bean exhibited the lowest values for both GRR (26.33) and NRR (8.00). Both the true generation time and doubling time were shortest for green gram (20.70 and 4.05, respectively), while black gram had the longest true generation time (30.97), and kidney bean had the longest doubling time (9.26). Based on intrinsic rate of increase, doubling time, and hypothetical F2 females, host suitability varied among pulses, with green gram being the most suitable and kidney bean the least. These findings provide insights into population dynamics and host suitability of C. chinensis, which can aid in developing effective storage pest management strategies.

Liu, Dong; Lü, Chun‐Mao; Niu, Wei; Guan, Ping; Jiang, Lu

doi: 10.1111/azo.70031pmid: N/A

Eversible exocrine glands play a central role in chemical defence and signalling in insect larvae, yet their fine morphology remains poorly understood because these structures are normally retracted and difficult to observe. In sawflies (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), particularly within Nematinae, chemical composition and defensive function of ventral eversible glands have been well documented, whereas ultrastructural information on the exposed gland surface has been lacking. Here, an approach was developed to stabilize the eversible gland of Nematus japonicus (Takeuchi 1921) larvae in its everted state, enabling detailed examination using scanning electron microscopy. The everted gland surface is characterized by dense cuticular folding without discrete pores or microtrichia, suggesting a thin, weakly sclerotized integument adapted for diffusion‐based release of volatile compounds. In addition, a previously unreported sensory field is documented on the larval abdomen, including rows of papilla‐like sensilla and dense arrays of sensilla chaetica surrounding the anal slit. These sensory structures are interpreted as components of a coordinated behavioural system involved in faecal expulsion and defensive posture. Together, these findings provide the first ultrastructural characterization of a nematine eversible gland and establish a morphological framework linking gland structure, sensory organization, and defensive behaviour in sawfly larvae.