Efferia aestuans - hypopharynx

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AndrewC
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Post by AndrewC »

Efferia aestuans - detail shows hypopharynx protuding from the proboscis.


Image

I was going to get a higher mag image but the specimen suffered a mishap and burst asunder. Rats.

Andrew
Last edited by AndrewC on Mon Sep 21, 2009 2:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
rgds, Andrew

"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Outstanding picture of the structure -- very nicely done!

--Rik

NikonUser
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Post by NikonUser »

I could scan and post the drawings but this would run into copyright problems. Perhaps quoting the text is less problematic (copyright-wise). Basically the text states:
mouthparts similar in both sexes
mandibles absent
stabbing function performed by needle-like hypopharynx;
description not so easy to follow from then on,
the black rounded-tip piece with the white sensory hairs is the labium; essentially a trough that encloses the maxillae and hypopharynx.
The drawing shows the maxilla as a slender sharp-pointed structure that is much shorter than the labium and thus in your image will be enclosed in the trough of the labium.
The hypopharynx extends beyond the tip of the labium so I'm thinking the black pointed dagger is the hypopharynx.
The orange structure has me baffled, there is a labrum that seems to form a lid for the trough of the labium but the drawings show this labrum as being very short and at the base of the labium.
Hopefully Eric will comment, he's the Asilid expert.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
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Eric F
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Post by Eric F »

Andrew,

Little to add to NU's good description. The orange material on top of the knife-like hypopharynx is a fringe of stiff, spiny hairs that helps direct the 'saliva' (which is actually a proteolytic venom that kills, then digests the insect prey) into the victim; mixed with the fringe is some dried saliva -- probably providing most of the orange color to the structure. The best robber fly info on the web is Fritz Geller-Grimms site: <http://www.geller-grimm.de/morph/morph02.htm> .

Harold Gough
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Post by Harold Gough »

NikonUser wrote:I could scan and post the drawings but this would run into copyright problems.
I have seen authors of taxonomic works re-draw the drawing and label it "After (original author's name)". If that gives protection you could scan your version.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

AndrewC
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Post by AndrewC »

Many thanks to all of you for the info - interesting that even on his collection of SEM images there aren't any showing the hypopharynx.

NU: are your words from Vol. 1 Manual of Nearctic Diptera ?

Seems to be out of print and unavailable, alas.

Andrew
Last edited by AndrewC on Mon Sep 21, 2009 12:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
rgds, Andrew

"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

AndrewC wrote:Rik: are your words from Vol. 1 Manual of Nearctic Diptera ?
I think you mean NikonUser. I only complimented the photograph -- all this anatomy is new to me!

NikonUser, go ahead and scan/post. We'll consider it as "fair use" in this case, and if necessary apologize profusely and whimper that we didn't think there'd be any harm to the original publisher, since the excerpt is tiny and you've given a reference to the original source.

A lawyer once explained to me that "fair use" is a defense you raise when somebody complains that you've violated copyright. As a practical matter, the question is whether you've injured anyone by reproducing their work.

In my role as editor, I like photomacrography.net to stay squeaky clean. In my role as an entomologist wanna-be, I'm a bit less rigorous. :(

--Rik

AndrewC
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Post by AndrewC »

rjlittlefield wrote:
AndrewC wrote:Rik: are your words from Vol. 1 Manual of Nearctic Diptera ?
I think you mean NikonUser.
I did, and was probably changing the post while you were typing :) I've usually got 10-20 minutes of lowered neural acuity while waiting for my trimethylxanthine to block my adenosine receptors - aka, first espresso of the day !

Mind you, less espresso and maybe I wouldn't have dropped the little blighter yesterday.

Andrew
rgds, Andrew

"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes

AndrewC
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Post by AndrewC »

Not completely unrelated to this, it's a shame that Google haven't scanned this yet, but they seem to be getting in trouble over their library

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8200624.stm

Andrew
rgds, Andrew

"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes

Harold Gough
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Post by Harold Gough »

rjlittlefield wrote:NikonUser, go ahead and scan/post. We'll consider it as "fair use" in this case..
I would suggest (as a layman) that the undoubted educational function of this forum is in the spirit of copyright law generally (?) allowing reasonable (my word) use of copyrighted material for educational/study purposes.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Harold Gough
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Post by Harold Gough »

AndrewC wrote:Not completely unrelated to this, it's a shame that Google haven't scanned this yet, but they seem to be getting in trouble over their library
In the past 24 hours the Justice Department has put the boot in:

http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdail ... -deal.html

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Eric F
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Post by Eric F »

Vol. 1 of the great "Manual of North American Diptera" may be out of print but the first volume of the newly published "Manual of Central American Diptera" is now available. Costing about $100, this very nice 714+ pp. book has the same essential information and coverage as the earlier volume -- just for flies of northern tropical America, rather than temperate America. MCAD will be THE resource for Central American flies, as MNAD has been for flies of North America. Both series are from the National Research Council of Canada/ Canadian Govt. Publishing Centre. (Shameless advert: I contributed the Asilidae chapter for MCAD.)

NikonUser
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Post by NikonUser »

Probably still worth getting MNAD for anyone seriously interested in flies; one needs both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Vol. 3 is more of a discussion.
Sometimes turn up in booksellers catalogues, I have dealt with and got excellent service from Gary Wayner.
SEE HERE
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives

NikonUser
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Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Post by NikonUser »

Image
clyp: clypeus
lbr: labrum
mx: maxilla
lab: labium
hyphar: hypopharynx
fd can: food canal

From: McAlpine et al. 1981. Manual of Nearctic Diptera Volume 1. Monograph No. 27, Reserach Branch, Agriculture Canada.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives

AndrewC
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Post by AndrewC »

Thanks,

Andrew
rgds, Andrew

"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes

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