Journal of Medical Entomology (2009) 46, 435-441

Dihego Oliveira Azevedo, Clóvis Andrade Neves, Jacenir Reis Dos Santos Mallet, Teresa Cristina Monte Gonçalves, José Cola Zanuncio and José Eduardo Serrão (2009)
Notes on midgut ultrastructure of Cimex hemipterus (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)
Journal of Medical Entomology 46 (3), 435-441
Abstract: This work studied the ultrastructure of the midgut cells of Cimex hemipterus Fabricius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). The midgut of adult insects was analyzed on different days after a bloodmeal, and three anatomical regions with different digestive functions were apparent. In the anterior midgut, the digestive cells had many spherocrystals, lipid inclusions, and glycogen deposits, suggesting a role in water absorption, ion regulation, digestion, and storage of lipids and sugars. The digestive cells in the middle midgut contained secretory granules in the apical cytoplasm, lysosomes, and large amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting that this midgut region was active in digestive processes. The posterior midgut contained digestive cells with secretory vesicles, lysosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and spherocrystals, suggesting digestion and ion/water absorption. Also, there was strong evidence that the posterior midgut may be the major site of nutrient absorption. The hematophagous heteropteran groups share many of these blood digestion mechanisms.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): José Eduardo Serrao, José Cola Zanuncio

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Cimex hemipterus