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Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

10-Minute Paper

SysEB: Morphology

Cuticle characterization and functionality of the prestomal teeth in Diptera

Sunday, October 31, 2021
1:54 PM – 2:06 PM MT
Location: Colorado Convention Center, Meeting Room 501-502
In-Person

The ecological and evolutionary successes of flies (Diptera, +150,000 species) can partially be attributed to their mouthpart structures and feeding mechanisms, which allow them to feed on a diverse array of fluids. Some fly species have prestomal teeth as mouthpart structures, however, their role in the feeding process and their material properties are not well understood. Here, we report information about the prestomal teeth morphology, cuticle elemental composition, and hardness using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, and atomic force microscopy, and related our results with the feeding habits among several dipteran species. We found that prestomal teeth are sclerotized with high hardness values, differ in shapes and lengths, and relate to feeding habits. Our findings suggest that prestomal teeth might play a critical role in the acquisition of fluids from particular food sources.