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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #288424
Title: Retracted stylets in nymphs of the Asian citrus psyllid are held externally against the clypeus by a special paired organ not found in the adults

Author
item Ammar, Eldesouky
item Hall, David

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2013
Publication Date: 3/1/2013
Citation: Ammar, E.D., Hall, D.G. 2013. Retracted stylets in nymphs of the Asian citrus psyllid are held externally against the clypeus by a special paired organ not found in the adults. Florida Entomologist. 96:264-267.

Interpretive Summary: Differences in ultrastructure of the mouth parts in nymphs and adults of the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera, Psyllidae), vector of the bacterium associated with citrus huanglongbing disease, were studied using scanning electron microscopy. One of the major differences found between nymphs and adults is that during the resting (non-feeding) periods, the looped/folded stylets in the adults are hidden inside a bag called ‘crumena’, whereas the looped/folded stylets in nymphs are visible in front of the clypeus held in place by two large ‘labial palps’ not found in the adults. This has not been apparently reported earlier in this or other psyllids.

Technical Abstract: Differences in ultrastructure of the mouthparts in nymphs and adults of the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera, Psyllidae), vector of the bacterium associated with citrus huanglongbing disease, were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The number of sensilla on the labial tip in nymphs was greater than that in adults. Furthermore, during the resting (non-feeding) periods, the retracted/looped stylets in the adults are hidden inside a bag called the crumena, whereas the fully or partially retracted stylets in nymphs are externally visible between the clypeus and 2 large projections, not found in the adults, at the base of the labium. These projections, that we called 'stylet-holding organ', were found also in nymphs of the melaleuca psyllid, Boreioglycaspis melaleuca.