title: Proboscis morphology and its relationship to feeding habits in noctuid moths.
abstract: This study describes proboscis morphology and identifies morphometric differences among five species of noctuid moths with different feeding habits (fruit versus nectar-feeding). Morphological and morphometric parameters were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Measurements included: galea height in ten sites from base to tip, total proboscis length, and length of the distal region that contains large sensilla styloconica and / or tearing hooks and erectible barbs. Both morphometric and morphological differences were identified among species within and between feeding guilds, and these results are discussed in light of the feeding habits of each species.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Entomologia, Departamento de Biodiversidade e Ecologia, Faculdade de Biociências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. Av. Ipiranga 6681, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. maurizenker@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Maurício Moraes
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Zenker
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Penz
authors.forename: Michele de
authors.initials: Md
authors.lastname: Paris
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Specht
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009036:Moths / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013045:Species Specificity