10/22/2015

Alimentary tract: the esophagus and crop

FOREGUT
stomodeal or cardiac valve
esophagus
hypopharynx crop gizzard midgut caecum
pharynx

mouth
intima midgut
clypeus
labrum labium
salivarium
cibarium
(preoral cavity or salivary gland salivary peritrophic
buccal cavity) (= labial gland) reservoir membrane

MIDGUT

Other glands associated with mouthparts/preoral cavity:

1. mandibular – pheromones in Hymenoptera; or as replacement
for salivary functions when labial glands spin silk.
2. maxillary – toxins in Hemiptera & Neuroptera
3. pharyngeal – Hymenoptera (brood food in Apidae)

Esophagus
esophageal diverticulum
(dorso-posteriad) esophagus

esophagus esophagus crop esophageal crop

crop
diverticulum
(ventro-anteriad)
Crop

esophagus
esophagus crop
crop midgut midgut

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Example: esophageal diverticula in Anopheles

(for blood)

(for nectar)

Pine sawflies
(Hymenoptera:
Symphyta)
sequester pitch
in diverticulum,
for defense

Esophagus

esophageal diverticulum esophagus

esophagus esophagus crop esophageal crop

crop
diverticulum

Crop

esophagus
esophagus crop
crop midgut midgut
(Ascalaphidae and
(most insects)
blowfly maggots)

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Alimentary tract: the gizzard

FOREGUT
stomodeal or cardiac valve
esophagus
hypopharynx crop gizzard midgut caecum
pharynx

mouth
intima midgut
clypeus
labrum labium
salivarium
cibarium
(preoral cavity or salivary gland salivary peritrophic
buccal cavity) (= labial gland) reservoir membrane

MIDGUT

The story of the flea’s gizzard

• acts as a bacterial filter
• has to barf up clots onto skin of host
• result: Bubonic plague
Xenopsylla cheopis

Gizzard (proventriculus)
“cardiac sphincter” true gizzard

crop crop

circular circular
muscles intima intima
muscles
(cuticular
teeth)

Orthoptera:
Gryllidae:
Phalangopsinae

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Histology of the foregut

(circular muscles outside longitudinal muscles;
epithelial cells NOT in contact with circular muscles)

Crop (“stomach”) Gizzard (proventriculus)

circular
muscles

longitudinal
muscles
lumen
lumen
epithelium
(epidermis)

intima
(cuticle)

Alimentary tract: foregut/midgut transition

FOREGUT
stomodeal or cardiac valve
esophagus
hypopharynx crop gizzard midgut caecum
pharynx

mouth
intima midgut
clypeus
labrum labium
salivarium
cibarium
(preoral cavity or salivary gland salivary peritrophic
buccal cavity) (= labial gland) reservoir membrane

MIDGUT
Midgut characteristics:
1. total absence of cuticle
2. circular muscles primarily next to epidermal cells
3. columnar epithelium with striated border
4. presence of peritrophic membrane
5. secretes enzymes, digests food, resorbs nutrients

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Alimentary tract: anterior end of midgut

(cricket)
intima
non-glandular
epithelium (epidermis)
circular
gizzard CROP muscles
(gizzard)
(caecum)

valve
stomodeal
MID-
GUT
glandular
epithelium
“mold” peritrophic
membrane
MID-
GUT
(hindgut)

Histology of the midgut

(circular muscles inside longitudinal muscles, touching epithelium)

circular
muscles

longitudinal
muscles

glandular
epithelium lumen

striated
border

peritrophic
membrane

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Digestion and the peritrophic membrane

Functions:
1. protects epithelium from
DIGESTIVE
abrasion (but Carabidae?)
GLAND
2. provides quiet space for
efficient resorption

valve
stomodeal
3. protects against
microorganisms (disease)
4. bags the feces (why??)
glandular
epithelium
Composition:
“mold” peritrophic
1. chitin and protein (very
similar to procuticle) membrane
MID-
INTESTINE
GUT

Merocrine (eccrine) secretion

(bursts – “exocytosis”)
striated border

nucleus

circular muscles

Holocrine secretion
basement membrane
exhausted (dying) cells

nucleus

regenerative cells
circular muscles
nidus

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solid waste HINDGUT X-sec of malpighian tubule

MIDGUT striated border lumen
nutrients
trachea epithelial
cell
malpighian
soluble tubules
wastes muscle
pyloric Histology of rectum
soluble sphincter
wastes (circular inside longitudinal?)
ILEUM
longitudinal
muscles
RECTUM circular
muscles
rectal rectal
re-absorbed pad
papillae
H2O
LUMEN
intima
anus
• handles/stores/moves feces epithelium
• receives contents of malpighian tubules
• controls/effects water resorption

Rectal jets & gills in Odonata: dragonfly naiad

internal rectal gill

and jet propulsion
system

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Neuroptera:
Rectal silk & anal spinnerets: Ascalaphidae
Neuroptera: Chrysopidae

Rectal chemical explosions

Stenaptinus insignis

forceps

Bombadier beetles
(Carabidae: Brachinus,
Stenaptinus, & others)
hydroquinones
& H2O2

catalases &
peroxidases

quinones + O2 at 100 ºC