Comparative morphology of legs in Asopinae (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

• Grant number: 25/12876-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Talita Roell
• Grantee: Talita Roell
• Host Institution: Museu de Zoologia (MZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/12886-8 - Hidden data: recovery, safeguarding, and accessibility of the Hemiptera collection at the USP Zoology Museum as a tool to support evolutionary studies on stinkbugs., AP.R
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/22126-3 - Comparative morphology of legs in Asopinae (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), BP.IC

Abstract

Some species of predatory stink bugs (Asopinae) have abdominal glands whose secretions are externalized through cuticular modifications known as glandular patches (GPs). The GPs have been studied in detail using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed that this structure has variable pores and bristles and is restricted to males. Some studies suggest that the primary glandular function of these structures is to produce mating pheromones. Males rub their hind legs against their abdomens, so that the secretion of the GPs is transferred from the abdomen to the hind tibiae and tarsi, which may accelerate the evaporation of the compounds. However, the detailed structure of the legs of Asopinae has not yet been evaluated, nor have the characteristics of the GPs been observed from a phylogenetic point of view. This scientific initiation project aims to explore the morphology of Asopinae legs using SEM in order to investigate whether there are unique characteristics in the legs of species that have GPs and to evaluate possible correspondences between the legs and GPs in order to understand the mechanism of secretion dispersion, which may impact the development of these insects that are potentially important for biological pest control. The legs of selected specimens will be removed and prepared for electron microscopy. The images captured by the equipment will later be analyzed comparatively and descriptions will be made. (AU)