Internal anatomy of male specimens of two Chrysoperla (Insecta: Neuroptera) species: a reproductive system approach

FERNÁNDEZ ACEVEDO, VICTORIA; RODRÍGUEZ GIL, SERGIO; SCHNEIDER, MARCELA I.

BRAZILIAN ARCHIVES OF BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY

INST TECNOLOGIA PARANA

Lugar: Curitiba, Brazil; Año: 2024

1516-8913

The Chrysopidae family comprises 1416 species. This family is relevant to agriculture becauseseveral species are biological pest control agents during their larval or adult stages. In Argentina, three species of Chrysoperla commonly found in agroecosystems have been cited: C. externa, C. asoralis, and C. argentina. This study describes the general internal anatomy of male specimens of C. externa and C. argentina, focusing on the reproductive system to increase the existing knowledge and provide baseline information for future taxonomic studies. Dissections and histological sections were performed on male specimens´ abdomens, testes, and heads. The central complex and antennal lobes in the cephalic ganglion are more developed in C. argentina than in C. externa. The digestive system is similar in both species, except for the number of rectal ampullae, four in C. externa and only two in C. argentina. Chrysoperla argentina has more muscle fibers than C. externa, but the amount of abdominal adipose tissue in both species is similar. The testes in both species are spiral-shaped and have four turns, with spermatozoa grouped in bundles and stored in large seminal vesicles. The description of the head and cephalic ganglion of C. externa and C. argentina is entirely new and provides original information on both species. In addition, the internal morphology of C. argentina is characterized for the first time, providing relevant information for further studies