Antennal sensilla of male and female of the nut weevil, Curculio nucum Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

• Published in: Annales de la Société entomologique de France 2019-09, Vol.55 (5), p.395-409
• Main Authors: Faucheux, Michel J., Hamidi, Rachid, Mercadal, Marion, Thomas, Maud, Frérot, Brigitte
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological anthropology; contact chemoreception; Humanities and Social Sciences; nut weevil; olfaction; scanning electron microscopy
• ISSN: 0037-9271; 2168-6351
• DOI: 10.1080/00379271.2019.1649093

The nut weevil, Curculio nucum (Linnaeus, 1758), is the main pest in hazelnut orchards (Corylus avellana L.). Semiochemicals are interesting bio control tools that could be used to manipulate the pest behaviour and to control pest populations. The study of the sensorial equipment of the insect antennae provides information on the importance of olfaction in the adult life for host plants and mate findings as well as on the putative other senses. Before electrophysiological investigation, the knowledge of antennae equipment is also necessary. The aim of this study is to determine the types, number and location of sensilla on the antennae of male and female adult C. nucum in order to determine their implication in seeking a sexual partner and a host plant. The 12-segmented antenna comprises a scape, a 7-segmented funicle and a 4-segmented club. Out of the nine sensillum types listed, three are present on the scape and the funicle and seven types on the club which gathers 71-73% of the total of sensilla. Tactile aporous sensilla chaetica C1, gustatory uniporous sensilla chaetica C2, olfactory multiporous sensilla basiconica B1 and B2 are found on both the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the club in both sexes. Thermo-hygroreceptive dome-shaped sensilla D, olfactory multiporous sensilla basiconica B3 and olfactory multiporous fluted sensilla basiconica F are found exclusively on the ventral surface of the club, suggesting that these sensilla are utilized in host plant acceptance during antennal tapping. The sexual dimorphism concerns only the numbers of sensilla chaetica C1 and sensilla basiconica B2.