Ultrastructure morphology of antennae and mouthparts of in-vasive pest Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)

Abstract

Abstract The small hive beetle (SHB), as one of the six major pathogens of honeybee, has invaded China in recent years and caused serious harm to the apiculture industry of China. In order to explore the feeding mechanism of Aethina tumida, we used scanning electron microscopy for the first time to conduct a detailed study on the morphology and structure of antennae and mouthparts, including the distribution and abundance of sensilla. The results showed that its clavate antennae and chewing mouthparts are similar to those of other nitidulid on the structure and types of sensilla. There are 5 types of sensilla were identified on antennae: 3 subtypes of sensilla chaetica (SC), 1 type of sensilla trichodea (SP), 6 subtypes of sensilla basiconica (SB), 2 subtypes of sensilla styloconica (SS) and 1 type of Böhm bristles (BB); 8 types of sensilla on mourthparts: 1 type of SC, 8 subtypes of SB, 2 subtypes of SP, 2 subtypes of SS, 1 type of SM, 1 type of sensilla coelocinica (Sco), 2 subtypes of campaniformia (Scam) and 1 type of BB. We also compared the differences of sensilla with the only reported nitiduline species Omosita colon and inferred their sensory function.