Micro-CT study of male genitalia and reproductive system of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, 1908 (Insecta: Hemiptera, Liviidae)

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri, is a major vector of the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and C.L. americanus, which cause Huanglongbing disease (HLB) (aka Citrus greening disease), considered the most serious bacterial disease of citrus trees. As part of a multidisciplinary project on psyllid biology (www.citrusgreening.org), the results presented here concern a detailed anatomical study of the male reproductive system (testes, seminal vesicles, accessory glands, sperm pump, connecting ducts, and aedeagus) using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The study summarizes current knowledge on psyllids male reproductive system and represents significant advances in the knowledge of ACP anatomy.This work was supported by USDA-NIFA Award 2014-70016-23028 ªDeveloping an Infrastructure and Product Test Pipeline to Deliver Novel Therapies for Citrus Greening Diseaseº, 2015-2020

Meiotic chromosomes and nucleolar behavior in testicular cells of the grassland spittlebugs Deois flavopicta, Mahanarva fimbriolata and Notozulia entreriana (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha)

Spittlebugs annually infest pastures and cause severe damage, representing a serious problem for the tropical American beef cattle industry. Spittlebugs are an important biotic constraint to forage production and there is a lack of cytogenetic data for this group of insects. For these reasons, we conducted this work, in which the spermatogenesis and nucleolar behavior of Deois flavopicta, Mahanarva fimbriolata and Notozulia entreriana were studied. The males possessed testes in the shape of a “bunch of grapes”; a variable number of testicular lobes per individual and polyploid nuclei composed of several heteropycnotic bodies. A heteropycnotic area was located in the periphery of the nucleus (prophase I); the chiasmata were terminal or interstitial; metaphases I were circular or linear and anaphase showed late migration of the sex chromosome. The chromosome complement had 2n = 19, except for N. entreriana (2n = 15); the spermatids were round with heteropycnotic material in the center and elongated with conspicuos chromatin. The analysis of testes after silver nitrate staining showed polyploid nuclei with three large and three smaller nucleolar bodies. Early prophase cells had an intensely stained nucleolar body located close to the chromatin and another less evident body located away from the chromatin. The nucleolar bodies disintegrated during diplotene. Silver staining occurred in two autosomes, in terminal and subterminal locations, the latter probably corresponding to the nucleolus organizer regions (NORs). The spermatids were round with a round nucleolar body and silver staining was observed in the medial and posterior region of the elongated part of the spermatid head

Meiotic karyotypes and structure of testes in males of 17 species of Psyllidae: Spondyliaspidinae (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) from Australia

Published in Australian Journal of Entomology, 2001; 40 (4):349-356 at www.interscience.wiley.comChromosome numbers and sex-determining systems of 16 species in 10 genera of Australian Psyllidae: Spondyliaspidinae (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) are presented. This is the first comprehensive karyological study for the Spondyliaspidinae. Karyotypes were: 2n = 11 (10 + X) for males of Australopsylla sp., Boreioglycaspis melaleucae (Moore), Cardiaspina albitextura Taylor, Creiis sp., Platyobria lewisi Taylor and Spondyliaspis plicatuloides (Froggatt); 2n = 9 (8 + X) for Blastopsylla adnatariae Taylor, Blastopsylla moorei Taylor, Cardiaspina retator Taylor, Cryptoneossa sp. (near triangula Taylor), Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore; and 2n = 7 (6 + X) for Anoeconeossa communis Taylor, Anoeconeossa sp. (communis group), Anoeconeossa sp. (fuscipennis group), A. unicornuta Taylor and Creiis vulgaris Taylor. The chromosome number 2n = 7 is the lowest recorded for any Psylloidea. The number of testicular follicles and arrangement of spermatocyte cysts (spermatocysts) in the follicles of each species, and of an additional species, Ctenarytaina sp. are described. Aspects of the karyology and morphology of the male reproductive system of each of the 17 species in 11 genera of Spondyliaspidinae are discussed in terms of recent shifts in spondyliaspidine classification and of the phylogenetic position of the Spondyliaspidinae within the Psylloidea.Anna Maryańska-Nadachowska, Gary S Taylor and Valentina G Kuznetsov

Meiotic karyotypes and structure of testes in males of 12 species of Psyllidae: Acizziinae, Carsidaridae and Triozidae (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) from Australia

Published in Australian Journal of Entomology, 2001; 40 (4):357-364 at www.interscience.wiley.comThe structure of the internal reproductive system of males of 12 Australian species of Psylloidea is described. These are Acizzia loranthacae Taylor, A. acaciaebaileyanae (Froggatt) and two undescribed species of Acizzia Heslop-Harrison (Psyllidae: Acizziinae), Protyora sterculiae (Froggatt) (Carsidaridae), Aacanthocnema dobsoni (Froggatt), three undescribed species of Trioza Förster, Schedotrioza apicobystra Taylor, S. distorta Taylor and S. multitudinea (Maskell) (Triozidae). Chromosome numbers were determined for all but the last three species. All species karyotyped had diploid chromosome numbers of 2n = 25 (24 + X) in males. Aspects of the karyology and morphology of the male internal reproductive system are discussed, and some comments on the placement of the Australian psylloid fauna within the higher classification of the Psylloidea are presented.Anna Maryańska-Nadachowska, Valentina G Kuznetsova and Gary S Taylo