Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM Protocols for Problematic Plant, Oomycete, and Fungal Samples
Published on: February 3, 2017
Diverticula in Male Lycorea halia Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Danaini: Itunina)-Support Organs for Everted
W Gnatzy1, O W Fischer2, A Kiesel2
1Institut für Ökologie, Evolution and Diversität, Goethe Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Abstract:
The involvement of the diverticula, a synapomorphy for Itunina, in protrusion and expansion of hairpencils by male Lycorea halia (Hübner, 1816) is demonstrated for the first time. They facilitate maintaining the haemolymph pressure necessary to keep the hairpencils everted. The diverticula are curved hook-like lobes, open to the body cavity and densely filled with tracheae and threads made by units of two staggered cells surrounding a central extracellular fibril bundle. Such complex structures, apparently metabolically active, have not been reported for insects previously and might indicate additional functions, but their functional role(s) remains a puzzle. When a male emerges from pupa, the diverticula are not yet formed; this happens only during the first protrusion of the hairpencils.
More Related Videos
07:10At-Risk Butterfly Captive Propagation Programs to Enhance Life History Knowledge and Effective Ex Situ Conservation Techniques
Published on: February 11, 2020
08:22Visualization of Caenorhabditis elegans Cuticular Structures Using the Lipophilic Vital Dye DiI
Published on: January 30, 2012
Related Concept Videos
Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell
Accessory Structures of the Skin: Hair and Hair Follicles
Hair is a keratinous filament growing out of the epidermis. It is primarily made of dead, keratinized cells. Hair strands originate at the epidermal penetration called the hair follicle. The hair shaft is the part...
Papillary Dermis
The dermis might be considered the "core" of the integumentary system, as distinct from the epidermis and hypodermis. It contains blood and lymph vessels, nerves, and other structures, such as hair follicles and sweat glands. The dermis is made of two layers of connective tissue that comprise an interconnected mesh of elastin and collagenous fibers, produced by fibroblasts.
Papillary Layer
The papillary layer is made of loose, areolar connective tissue, which means the collagen...
External Female Genitals
Accessory Glands of the Male Reproductive System
The epididymis is a small, comma-shaped organ located at the back of each testicle. The epididymis can be divided into three main parts: the head, body, and tail. The head of the epididymis...
Microvilli
These microvilli are predominantly present in cells lining the small intestine, kidney tubules, and certain cells in the respiratory and reproductive systems. By significantly expanding the surface area of the cell membrane, microvilli enhance the cell's capacity...