Morphology of the Prosternal Glands of Heliconius erato (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)
Figure 3
Histological sections of larval prosternal glands of Heliconius erato phyllis under light microscopy. (a) impair gland of second instar, longitudinal; (b) impair gland of third instar, cross section; (c) impair gland of first instar, longitudinal; (d) paired glands (arrows) of third instar, longitudinal; (e) paired gland of fourth instar, longitudinal, near the external opening, showing secretion in the lumen; (f) paired gland of fifth instar, cross section, at the middle of the secretory portion, showing the convergent distribution of secreting cells in relation to the lumen. Open arrowheads indicate the excretory cisterns in the impair gland. Ed: excretory duct; Gl: glandular lumen; Gs: glandular secretion; Ne: nonsecretory epithelium; Nu: nucleus; Se: secretory epithelium. Scale bars = 50, 50, 50, 150, 60, and 150 m respectively.
