Damsel Bug

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 7:03 pm

This small, length 7.5mm, true bug (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Nabidae) is predaceous on other insects. Its mouthparts are modified into a long beak (b)
through which it injects a paralysing venom to subdue prey and then injects digestive enzymes. The liquified body of the prey is then sucked up through the beak.
A complex arrangement of muscles, ligaments, and two rows of recurved spines on the raptorial front legs (f=femur, t=tibia, s=spines) catch prey.

Side view head, front legs:

Side and ventral views of tibia showing two rows of recurved spines
Olympus BHS, 10x SPlanApo + 1.25x intermediate lens + 2.5x relay lens, polarizer; Nikon D600

Side view, front leg femur and tibia. Note the large muscles (blue) in the femur connecting to a ligament (l) that passes outside the joint to attach to the tibia via a small sclerite
Nikon 4x on Olympus BHS, polarizer

Close-up of the femur-tibia joint showing muscles (m), paired ligaments (lig), paired sclerites (sc) attached 1 on each side of the tibia.
Oly 10x SPlanApo etc. polarizer.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:33 pm

Nice work, as always!

On the right-hand image of the pair showing closeup of the spines, it looks like there's a sparse row of sensillae running between the two rows of spines. One short bristle about every other set of spines, with one right between the pair of spines labeled "s".

--Rik

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 6:21 pm

Good spotting! I missed seeing those.
Unfortunately I can't get a decent image of those sensilla from the current slide. The leg is a temporary wet mount, in glycerine, and there is a continuous air bubble inside the tibia. It appears that this layer of air is degrading the image, plus it is a very thick mount.

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 2:14 am

Most informative and aesthetically pleasing at the same time!

The polarized lighting technique yields great colouration, especially in that last image. If you hadn't stated otherwise, I'd have thought that some kind of chemical dyeing was involved, at least for that impressive blue in the outer ligament.

Do you find significant improvement in quality using the 2.5x relay lens with full format vs. the smaller sensor?

--Betty

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 6:39 pm

Thanks Betty.
These are the 1st images with the D600 on the BHS so really don't know f I am getting better quality than with the D90. The D600 is 24.3 MP while the D90 is 12.3 MP; is more better? or perhaps worse?
I was happy with the D90's quality but it was annoying to see a nice large image through the scope's eyepieces only to see a partial image on the monitor. I gave up trying to get a 1.67x relay lens. It wasn't a situation where I was looking for better quality, although for $2100.00 plus taxes it would be nice to have. I simply wanted to capture those large images I was seeing on the scope.

curt0909 · Post by **curt0909** » Thu Oct 11, 2012 8:05 pm

Great photos and description. I enjoy your posts always come with a wealth of information... Regarding your imaging method. Have you tried removing the microscope head completely and placing the camera above with extension tubes? You simply adjust tube length for field of view(with finite objectives). If you wanted a 1.6x relay equivalent 250mm extension would do it. This is the method I've always used and have had good results. Its simple and completely adjustable, like a variable zoom.

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Fri Oct 12, 2012 5:06 am

Thanks "curt". I did try a camera above the head with the relay lens removed. Forget the details but I believe I got a very small image.
Removing the head completely would, of course, also remove the eyepieces which I believe I would find awkward; would have to use the TV as the only viewing device.
As I have a 2.5x NFK and a full-frame camera I guess I will stay with that set-up.