ANATOMY AND HISTOLOGY OF THE ALIMENTARY CANAL OF THE COLORADO POTATO BEETLE LARVAE

In this study, anatomy and histology of the alimentary canal of Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) larvae, were investigated. The alimentary canal is divided into three main regions: foregut (stomodeum), midgut (mesodeum) and hindgut (proctodeum). The foregut forms the smallest part of the alimentary canal. The foregut consists of a thick cuticle (intima), a thin and simple epithelium, a basement membrane and muscle layer. The midgut forms the longest part of the alimentary canal. The midgut epithelium is characterized by a striated border of microvilli. The epithelium is surrounded by muscle layers and comprised of three different types of cells: columnar, endocrine and regenerative cells (or nidi). The hindgut is made up of the same layers as the foregut, but the epithelial cells are larger and the cuticle is thinner. The epithelium of all parts of the gut consists of a single layer of cells. Six Malpighian tubules are located at the beginning of the ileum and join into the rectum independently