HISTOLOGIC DESCRIPTION OF THE FOREGUT OF TROPIDACRIS COLLARIS (STOLL, 1813) (ORTHOPTERA: ROMALEIDAE)

ABSTRACT

The present research was developed in the Laboratorio de Histologia do Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife. It aims to describe foregut histology (pharynx, esophagus, crop and proventriculus) of Tropidacris collaris (Stoll, 1813) (Orthoptera: Romaleidae) by means of light microscopy, and by using special stains (Mallory trichromia, Gomori trichromia and PAS - Schiff periodic acid), as well as routine stains (Hematoxilin-eosin). The insects were selected out of the Laboratório de Entomologia breeding in the Departamento de Biologia da UFRPE. The collected material was fixed in alcoholic Boüin and processed for inclusion in "paralast". The results showed the foregut organs are constituted by simple epithelial tissue, coated by an intima provided with spines, except in the proventriculu, and grooved muscular tissue involving those organs. In the proventriculus the epithelial layer is protruded toward light to form 12 larger folds with other smaller folds inserted in between. No evidence of conjunctive tissue was detected in the foregut organs.

KEY WORDS:
Orthoptera; morphology; foregut; Tropidacris collaris.