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MESOTHORACIC SKELETOMUSCULATURE AND MECHANICS OF FLIGHT AND JUMPING IN EUPELMINAE (HYMENOPTERA, CHALCIDOIDEA: EUPELMIDAE)1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Gary A.P. Gibson
Gary A.P. Gibson
Affiliation:
Biosystematics Research Institute, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0C6
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Abstract

Mesothoracic skeletomusculature of male and female Eupelminae is described and compared with that of other Eupelmidae, Chalcidoidea, and Hymenoptera. Various external mesopleural features and structural dimorphism between the sexes are explained by differences in muscle form and placement. A set of terms for mesothoracic structure is proposed that is equally applicable to male and female eupelmines and to other chalcidoids. Mechanics of flight and jumping in male eupelmines, and of jumping in females, is also described. The flight mechanism of males is similar to that previously described in other hymenopterans and is structurally independent of the jumping mechanism. Contraction of large mesotergal-mesotrochanteral muscles, originating from the axillae and axillar phragmata, act directly to retract the mesotrochanters into the mesocoxae for jumping. Females have coadapted the flight and jumping mechanisms into a single mechanism to improve jumping greatly. The mesotergal-mesotrochanteral muscles are reduced to slender, tendon-like muscles originating from the anteroventral angle of each lateral axillar surface. Jumping in females results from contraction of large mesopleural-mesotergal muscles that insert into anterolateral processes of the mesoscutum by pads of resilin. The pads are stretched during contraction of the mesopleural-mesotergal muscles and the potential energy thus stored is subsequently released to flex the mesonotum along the transscutal articulation. The first and second axillary sclerites are modified to function as a hinge to control mesonotal flexing for jumping. Flexing the mesonotum rotates the lateral axillar surfaces anteriorly and dorsally, thereby pulling up on the mesotergal-mesotrochanteral muscles and changing a horizontally directed force into a vertical force that is used to retract the mesotrochanters for jumping. A mesothoracic lock mechanism to prevent initial mesonotal flexing is proposed, but is not documented. “Contortion” of female eupelmines is described, and is a consequence of the increased degree of mesonotal flexing required for their jumping mechanism. The modified mesocoxal articulation of females is hypothesized to function in rotating the middle legs cephalad to protect the head and antennae during landing. It is questioned whether female eupelmines can fly, and the adaptive significance of enhancement of jumping at the expense of flight in females, and of sexual dimorphism in the subfamily, is discussed.

Résumé

On décrit la musculature squelettique mésothoracique des Eupelminae mâles et femelles et on la compare à celle d’autres eupelmidés, des chalcidoïdés et des hyménoptères. On explique divers traits mésopleuraux externes et le dimorphisme structural entre les deux sexes par des différences touchant la forme et la disposition des muscles. On propose une série de termes relatifs à la structure mésothoracique pouvant s’appliquer également aux Eupelminae mâles et femelles ainsi qu’à d’autres chalcidoïdés. La mécanique du vol et du saut chez les Eupelminae mâles et la mécanique du saut chez les femelles sont aussi décrites. Le mécanisme du vol chez les mâles est analogue à celui qui a été décrit antérieurement chez d’autres hyménoptères et il est indépendant, au point de vue structural, du mécanisme du saut. La contraction des gros muscles mésotergaux-mésotrochantériens, qui naissent des axillaires et des phragmes axillaires, rétractent directement les mésotrochanters dans la hanche mésothoracique lors du saut. Les femelles ont adapté les mécanismes du vol et du saut pour n’en faire qu’un seul, qui améliore de beaucoup le saut. Les muscles mésotergaux-mésotrochantériens sont réduits à des muscles élancés, tendiniformes, qui naissent de l’angle antéroventral de chaque surface axillaire latérale. Les femelles sautent en contractant les gros muscles mésopleuraux-mésotergaux qui s’insèrent dans les prolongements antérolatéraux du mésoscutum grâce à des coussinets de résiline. Ces coussinets sont étirés pendant la contraction des muscles mésopleuraux-mésotergaux et l’énergie potentielle ainsi stockée est ensuite libérée pour fléchir le mésonotum le long de l’articulation transcutale. Les premier et deuxième sclérites axillaires sont modifiés de façon à servir de charnière pour commander la flexion mésonotale lors du saut. La flexion du mésonotum fait pivoter les surfaces axillaires latérales antérieurement et dorsalement, ce qui exerce une traction sur les muscles mésotergaux-mésotrochantériens et transforme la force horizontale en une force verticale. Cette force verticale est utilisée pour rétracter les mésotrochanters lors du saut. On propose un mécanisme de blocage du mésothorax qui empêcherait la flexion mésonotale initiale, sans en donner les détails. La “contorsion” des Eupelminae femelles est décrite. Elle résulte du degré accru de flexion mésonotale nécessaire pour le saut. On avance l’hypothèse selon laquelle, chez les femelles, l’articulation mésocoxale modifiée ferait pivoter la partie antérieure du corps portant les pattes médianes pour protéger la tête et les antennes au moment de l’aterrissage. On s’interroge sur la capacité de voler des Eupelminae femelles et l’on discute de la signification, du point de vue de l’adaptation, de l’amélioration du saut au dépens du vol ainsi que du dimorphisme sexuel dans cette sous-famille.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 118 , Issue 7 , July 1986 , pp. 691 - 728
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1986

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