title: Ultrastructure of the Alabama argillacea (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) midgut.
abstract: The insect midgut has ultimately been the focus of researches tempting to control insect pests because alterations in the insect gut may affect not only its development, but also physiological events such as nutrient absorption and transformation. The objective of the present work was to describe morphologically, histochemically, and ultrastructurally the larva midgut of Alabama argillacea (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a cotton key pest in Brazil. Light and electronic transmission microscopy was used to obtain images from midgut sections of late fourth-instar larvae of A. argillacea. In general, the morphology, histochemistry, and ultrastructure characteristics of A. argillacea midgut follow that described in the literature for other lepidopteran species. However, the results showed a mitochondrial polymorphism and branched microvilli, which suggest an ultrastrucutural and physiological modification possibly associated with a high absorption and secretion activity by the columnar cells of this species. This intense activity may favor a faster response related to the action of ingested microbial agents and/or toxins, and can explain the high susceptibility of A. argillacea to the agents of control such as the toxin of Bacillus thuringiensis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Agronomia, Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Entomologia Agrícola, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Av. Dom Manoel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos CEP 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Esmeralda C
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Valéria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wanderley-Teixeira
authors.forename: Alvaro A C
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Herbert A A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: de Siqueira
authors.forename: Fábio A B
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Luiz C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001938:Brazil; D019858:Enteroendocrine Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007300:Insect Control; D008871:Microvilli / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009036:Moths / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014774:Virulence