Beewolf Glands

     
Morphology, ultrastructure and phylogeny of beewolf exocrine glands

Hymenoptera possess a huge variety of exocrine glands that serve several functions. Most studies were concerned with social species and some glands are thought to have evolved in response to the requirements of the social group. European beewolves have a number of exocrine glands that are interesting because of their special function or because of their possible homology with "social" glands.

Female European beewolves possess unique antennal glands with an exceptional morphology so far undescribed in other Hymenoptera that function as brood pouches for symbiotic bacteria of the genus Streptomyces. In both sexes there are large cephalic glands. In females these glands are involved in the preservation of the prey, whereas in males they produce and store the male sex pheromone.

We examine the fine- and ultrastructure of the described glands using light and electron microscopy (SEM/TEM) and reconstruct their morphology either with sections or with NMR spectroscopy using the 3D-Visualisation-software Amira®. To elucidate the evolutionary origin of these glands and their possible initial functions we conduct comparative analyses of other species of aculeate hymenoptera.

Fotos © Wolfgang Göttler

Publications

Herzner G, Kaltenpoth M, Poettinger T, Weiss K, Koedam D, Kroiss J, Strohm E (2013) Morphology, chemistry and function of the postpharyngeal gland in the South American digger wasps Trachypus boharti and Trachypus elongatus. PLoS ONE 8(12): e82780. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0082780.

Goettler W, Strohm E (2008). Mandibular glands of male European Beewolves, Philanthus triangulum (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae). Arthropod Structure & Development. Arthropod Structure & Development 37: 363-371.

Strohm E, Herzner G, Goettler W (2007). A "social" gland in a solitary wasp? The postpharyngeal gland of female European beewolves (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae). Arthropod Structure & Development 36: 113-122.

Herzner G, Goettler W, Kroiss J, Purea A, Webb A, Jakob PM., Rössler W, Strohm E (2007). Males of a solitary wasp possess a postpharyngeal gland. Arthropod Structure & Development 36: 123-133.

Goettler, W., Kaltenpoth, M., Herzner, G., Strohm, E. (2007) Morphology and ultrastructure of a bacteria cultivation organ: The antennal glands of female European beewolves, Philanthus triangulum (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae). Arthropod Structure & Development 36: 1-9.