title: Morphology and diversity of exocrine glands in lepidopteran larvae.
abstract: The morphology of 21 exocrine glands and 13 supposedly exocrine structures recorded for lepidopteran larvae is reviewed. The epitracheal glands, for which a double role (exocrine and endocrine) has been demonstrated, are examined as well. Function is well known for at least 8 glands but completely unknown for 6 glands, for 10 putative glandular structures, and for the exocrine component of the epitracheal glands. Functional studies on the remaining structures are insufficient; in some cases (mandibular gland and adenosma) homologous glands may play a different role depending on the species, and only a few taxa have been examined. The secretions of 13 glandular types have been analyzed chemically. The histology of 11 glands is known at the ultrastructural level, whereas that of 6 glands and 7 putative glandular structures is completely unknown. Comparative anatomical studies of the osmeterium, adenosma, and Verson's glands may yield useful information for phylogenetic reconstructions.
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Museum für Tierkunde, D-01109 Dresden, Germany. napoliacoppe@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vegliante
authors.forename: Ivar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hasenfuss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology*