Ultrastructure of androconia and surrounding scales of nine species of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera)

Abstract

The ultrastructure of androconia and their surrounding scales of nine species in nine genera across four subfamilies of Hesperiidae is studied. This provides a basis for the classification and identification of some genera and species. The wing surface of the scent glands patches was cut with scissors, observed and photographed under an S-4800 scanning electron microscope (at 10.0 kV accelerated pressure). There were significant differences in the types of scent glands patches across subfamilies. The scent glands patches of Pyrginae and Dudaminae are mainly in the costal fold of the forewing, while those of Coeliadinae and Hesperiinae are mainly in the line or circular stigma on the wing surface. The length, breadth and aperture of the androconia were further measured and the data are analysed by variance and multiple comparisons. There are significant differences amongst the subfamilies, except for Dudaminae and Pyrginae. In Hesperiinae, Telicota colon (Fabricius, 1775) and Ampittia virgata (Leech, 1890) have no significant difference in the aperture of the androconia, but are significantly different from Thymelicus leoninus (Butler, 1878). There are significant differences in the aperture between Pyrgus alveus’s (Hübner, 1803) androconium and the second androconium of Lobocla bifasciata (Bremer & Grey, 1853), but not with the first androconium of Lobocla bifasciata. The morphology of androconia in the scent glands patches is very similar in Hesperiinae; all are rod-shaped and paddle-like. The scale types around the scent glands patches are different, but there are one or two similar types. To a certain extent, the aperture of the androconia reflects the genetic relationships between subfamilies and species. The differences in scale type and structure of scent glands patches can be used as a reference for the classification of subfamilies and genera in Hesperiidae.