Fat bodies are a crucial source of energy for insect survival and reproduction. Differing states, or conditions, of fat body cells and amounts have been previously reported for southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula L., but clear supporting images are lacking. Further, in ongoing studies elucidating the ecology of southern green stink bug in the southern United States, additional fat body cell conditions in the abdomen were observed that had not been previously reported, and findings are presented here. Four fat body cell conditions were characterized based on appearance as: (1) cloudy, white, and oily, (2) spongy, white; (3) spongy, yellow, and, (4) honeycomb. Amounts of fat body cells in abdomens were categorized as: abundant, intermediate, and lean. This report improves the sole extant schematic of fat body cell conditions by presenting images relating to newly identified fat body cells conditions, and provides the first visuals depicting the amounts of fat body cells that can be encountered in adult southern green stink bugs. These findings are critical components in elucidating the biology and ecology of the southern green stink bug.
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1 January 2011
Improved Visualization of Fat Body Cell Conditions and Abundance in the Southern Green Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)
J. F. Esquivel
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fat body cell condition
fat body reserves
Nezara viridula
physiology