›› 2015, Vol. 58 ›› Issue (2): 132-138.

• RESEARCH PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Localization and quantitative detection of magnetic materials in the macropterous and brachypterous female and male adults of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens(Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

YAN Xue-Bin1,2,#, LIU Yu-Xin1,#, YAO Liang-Yu1,2, WANG Wen-Xiao1,2, PAN Wei-Dong3,*, CHEN Fa-Jun1,*   

  1. (1. Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; 2. Department of Ecology, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; 3. Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagetics, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China)
  • Online:2015-02-20 Published:2015-02-20

Abstract: 【Aim】 The geomagnetic orientation is one of the important mechanisms for the flight orientation of migratory insects in their long distance migration. In this study, the macropterous and brachypterous female and male adults of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens were selected to systemically study the magnetic materials harbored in their bodies. 【Methods】 The superconducting quantum interference device (SQID) (model: MPMS-7) was used to detect the existence of magnetic materials in the macropterous and brachypterous female and male adults of BPH, and the distribution of magnetic materials in the four types of adults was observed using the ultrathin paraffin sections (UPS) with Prussian blue staining (PBS) under the transmission electron microscope (TEM) (model: JEM-2100). The atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) was used for the quantitative analysis and comparison of the magnetic materials in the four types of adults. 【Results】 The SQID detection found that the hysteresis curves were obviously closing only in the abdomen of the macropterous and brachypterous female and male adults of N. lugens, indicating that magnetic materials harbored in the abdomen of adults. Prussian blue precipitate also mainly existed in the abdomen through the observation under TEM, indicating that the detected magnetic materials are ferromagnetic substance. There were significant differences in the contents of magnetic materials between the macropterous and brachypterous adults and between the males and females through the AES detection. For adults of the same gender, the Fe ion content in the macropterous individuals was significantly higher than that in the brachypterous individuals. And for the same wing-form, the Fe ion content in the male adults was significantly higher than that in the female adults. 【Conclusion】 Fe magnetic materials generally exist in the abdomen of macropterous and brachypterous female and male adults of N. lugens, and their contents are significanly different between the macropterous and brachypterous adults and between the males and females.

Key words: Nilaparvata lugens, migratory orientation, wing form, gender, magnetic materials, superconducting quantum interference device (SQID), Prussian blue staining (PBS), atomic emission spectroscopy (AES)