Occurrence, morphology and ultrastructure of the Dufour gland in Melipona bicolor Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Meliponini)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Cytochemistry of fat body trophocytes and ovaries of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) during vitellogenesis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ultrastructural studies of the mandibular gland of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836 (Apidae, Meliponini): a comparison between workers and queens

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ultrastructural aspects of the mandibular gland of Melipona bicolor Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera : Apidae, Meliponini) in the castes

The mandibular gland in Melipona bicolor workers and queens was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. There is no difference in the gland anatomy between the castes, but the transmission electron microscopy showed variation of the cellular ultrastructure according to the secretory phase of the gland in both castes. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum was abundant in the secretory cells of physogastric queens, indicating that these cells produce lipid secretion that is stored in granules with multi-lamellar bodies. Mitochondrial variations during the cell secretory cycle indicates their participation in the lipid synthesis. After secretion, release in the reservoir lumen through the collecting canals, the secretory cells contain many myelinic bodies, indicative of cellular regression. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protein content and electrophoretic profile of fat body and ovary extracts from workers of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera, Meliponini)

Workers of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Lepeletier, 1836) develop their ovaries and lay eggs, therefore the production of vitellogenin is expected. In electrophoretic profiles only fat body extracts from nurse workers and ovary extracts from newly-emerged workers show protein with molecular mass similar to vitellogenin. However, an increase in the protein content was detected in forager fat body. This increase was attributed to storage of vitellogenin or other proteins in the previous phase and not discharged into the hemolymph or to an effect of the increased titre of juvenile hormone in this phase of worker life over the fat body functioning.

Determinação das castas em Scaptotrigona postica (Latreille) (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini): diferenciação do ovário

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Body size and flight distance in stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Meliponini): inference of flight range and possible ecological implications

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Comparative study of wax glands in four Meliponini bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae) producing different quantities of wax

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Exocrine glands of Schwarziana quadripunctata (Hymenoptera, Apinae, Meliponini)

This article describes the location, anatomy, histology and ontogeny of adult Schwarziana quadripunctata exocrine glands. These glands appear either as individualized organs (salivary gland system and Dufour gland) or as epidermis differentiation (tegumentary glands). Variations in the occurrence and degree of development among colony components with regard to their degree of maturity are also described.

Testicular reabsorption in adult males of Melipona bicolor bicolor lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

The present paper reports morphological features of the testes reabsorption in adult male of Melipona bicolor bicolor. The ultrastructural features of the degenerating sperm cells and cyst cells are described. It is suggested that the material of the reabsorbed testes may serve as nutritional source for the adult male.

Enzymes in the hypopharyngeal gland extracts from workers of Scaptotrigona postica (Hymenoptera, Apinae, Meliponini) related to food storing in the colony

This study reports on research of enzymes produced by the hypopharyngeal glands, which are related to food storing in the colony, from gland extracts from nurse and forager workers of S. postica. Only the presence of the saccharase was detected in the extracts from the glands of forager workers. The results were compared to the enzymatic content of similar extracts of A. mellifera taking into account the behavioral differences among the two species.

Histological and morphometric comparisons of worker and queen mandibular glands of Melipona bicolor bicolor (Hymenoptera, Meliponini)

In the present investigation we analyzed both histology and area of secretory cells from workers, virgin and physogastric queen mandibular glands of Melipona bicolor bicolor Lepeletier. The histological differences observed include the number of vacuoles present in the cell cytoplasm and the quantity and distribution of the secretion. The morphometry results demonstrated the occurrence of significative differences in the cell area values that were related to the secretory cell activity level, which is higher in the physogastric queens. Worker and queen glands have histological patterns quite similar, but the morphometric data indicated cast-specific differences, as well as differences between the queens, which were related to the posture activity.

Spermiophagy in the spermatheca of Melipona bicolor lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

The presence of spermatozoa in vesicles in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells that constitute the spermathecal wall of Melipona bicolor queen (Meliponini) is discussed in relation to the organ structure. The epithelial wall is lined by an apparently continuous cuticle in the luminal surface that should be a non-transposable barrier to the luminal spermatozoa. However, some spermatozoa were seen crossing the cuticle through interruptions that was first interpreted as sectioning defects. Nevertheless, the sperm cells in well-structured cytoplasmic vesicles, bound by membranes and sometimes associated to multivesicular bodies, as well as cytoplasmic structures representative of intracellular digestion and the occurrence of the phenomenon in two of the three spermathecae studied, suggest a real spermiophagic hole in the spermathecal epithelial cells.

Enzymatic activity of the hypopharyngeal gland extract from workers and males of Scaptotrigona postica Lat. (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

The objective of this research was to contribute to elucidation of the function of the hypopharyngeal glands of S. postica in enzyme production, using the Api Zym kit (Bio Mérieux). Dealing with a comparative analysis between the enzymatic content of the hypopharyngeal gland extracts from newly emerged, nurse and forager workers, as well as, newly emerged males and males mature for mating of S. postica. The hypopharyngeal glands from nurse workers of Apis mellifera, that produce part of the royal jelly, were used for comparison. While in A. mellifera, the hypopharyngeal glands are present only in workers, in S. postica, the hypopharyngeal glands are present and functioning in all adult individuals of the colony. The higher enzymatic activity was observed in the hypopharyngeal gland extracts from nurse workers and may be related to a larger demand for energy, compared to other individuals. The occurrence of large quantities of leucine arylamidase in all individuals may mean that protein processing is happening.