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Microarchitecture of the tsetse fly proboscis
Wendy Gibson1, Lori Peacock2,3, Rachel Hutchinson2
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK. w.gibson@bristol.ac.uk.
Parasites & Vectors
|September 21, 2017
Summary
Tsetse fly proboscis anatomy was re-examined, revealing a complex, ornate structure at the hypopharynx
Area of Science:
- Entomology
- Parasitology
- Microscopy
Background:
- Tsetse flies (genus Glossina) transmit trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Their proboscis is crucial for blood-feeding and trypanosome transmission.
- The proboscis also serves as a developmental site for trypanosomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-examine the microarchitecture of the tsetse proboscis.
- To understand the physical environment for trypanosome development within the proboscis.
Main Methods:
- Proboscises from male and female Glossina pallidipes were examined.
- Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed.
- Specimens were analyzed intact and dissected into labrum, labium, and hypopharynx.
Main Results:
- SEM confirmed the proboscis as a well-adapted piercing weapon.
- The hypopharynx exhibits a complex, ornate structure with finger-like projections, contrary to prior descriptions.
- Trypanosoma congolense savannah colonized the labrum, with trypanosomes visible within the hypopharynx.
Conclusions:
- The tsetse proboscis architecture is remarkably intricate, especially the hypopharynx.
- The function of the hypopharynx's distal structures requires further investigation.
