Adult male Cancer magister (Dana) were equipped with pulsed-Doppler flowmeters and pressure transducers for simultaneous measurement of heart and ventilation frequencies, haemolymph flow through each of the major arterial systems and cardiac output and for calculation of stroke volume. Each variable was measured at rest and during two consecutive periods of moderate treadmill walking activity a...

The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, has emerged as a model species for invasion biology, reflecting its remarkable capacity to outcompete native ladybird species when introduced into new habitats. This ability may be associated with its prominent resistance to pathogens and intraguild predation. We recently showed that the constitutive antibacterial activity present in the haemolymph of ...

Extracellular Cu/Zn superoxide dismutases (SODs) are critical for balancing the level of reactive oxygen species in the extracellular matrix of eukaryotes. In the present study we have detected constitutive SOD activity in the haemolymph and defensive secretions of different leaf beetle species. Exemplarily, we have chosen the mustard leaf beetle, Phaedon cochleariae, as representative model or...

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is involved in the regulation of feeding and digestion in many animals from worms to mammals. In insects, 5-HT functions both as a neurotransmitter and as a systemic hormone. Here we tested its role as a neurotransmitter in feeding and crop contractions and its role as a systemic hormone that affected feeding in adult foraging honeybees. We found 5-HT immun...

oral supplementation with potassium bromide (10, 20 and 40 ?g/ml) to fifth instar larvae of csr2, csr4 and csr2xcsr4 crossbreed races of the silkworm, bombyx mori resulted in a significant increase in the fat body glycogen in all the treated groups and in all the three races of the silkworm, b. mori. the fat body protein content was increased with 20 and 40 ?g/ml treated groups in csr2 and csr4...

The colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri possesses an innate immunity, which plays fundamental roles in its survival, adaptability, worldwide spread and ecological success. Three lines of differentiation pathways circulating haemocytes are known to be present the haemolymph, starting from undifferentiated haemoblasts: (i) phagocytic line (hyaline amoebocytes macrophage-like cells), (ii) cytot...

Microplastics and agrochemicals are common pollutants in terrestrial ecosystems. Their interaction during coexistence soils may influence their fate adverse effects on organisms. The aim of this study was to investigate how the exposure two types microplastics; polyester fibres, crumb rubber; induce changes immune parameters Porcellio scaber if co-exposure microplastics affects response induced...

Evidence for the involvement of a Bemisia tabaci GroEL homologue in the transmission of tomato yellow leaf curl geminivirus (TYLCV) is presented. A approximately 63-kDa protein was identified in B. tabaci whole-body extracts using an antiserum raised against aphid Buchnera GroEL. The GroEL homologue was immunolocalized to a coccoid-shaped whitefly endosymbiont. The 30 N-terminal amino acids of ...

Xenorhabdus nematophilus is a pathogenic bacterium causing insect haemolymph septicemia, which leads to host insect death. To address the fundamental mechanisms underlying this haemolymph septicemia, or the immunodepressive response of the host insects following bacterial infection, we tested a hypothesis that the insect immune-mediating eicosanoid pathway is blocked by inhibitory action of the...

The effects of chronic exposure to dietary salicylate on elimination and renal excretion of salicylate by D. melanogaster larvae were evaluated using salicylate-selective microelectrodes. Larvae chronically exposed to dietary salicylate showed 25% less salicylate in the haemolymph compared to the control group after feeding on a salicylate-enriched diet. By 1 h after transfer to a salicylate-fr...