Histological revision of structures involved in the production of venomous secretions in Lonomia casanarensis (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)
Lepidopteran insects of the genus Lonomia possess urticating spines as a defense mechanism during their larval stages. These spines, called scoli, contain toxins that can be harmful to humans because they can cause hemostatic disorders when injected into the bloodstream. Envenomation by Lonomia has...
- Autores:
-
García Piñeros, Javier Andrés
- Tipo de recurso:
- Trabajo de grado de pregrado
- Fecha de publicación:
- 2025
- Institución:
- Universidad de los Andes
- Repositorio:
- Séneca: repositorio Uniandes
- Idioma:
- eng
- OAI Identifier:
- oai:repositorio.uniandes.edu.co:1992/75824
- Acceso en línea:
- https://hdl.handle.net/1992/75824
- Palabra clave:
- Lonomia venomous caterpillars
Scoli histology
insect venom glands
Biología
- Rights
- openAccess
- License
- Attribution 4.0 International
| Summary: | Lepidopteran insects of the genus Lonomia possess urticating spines as a defense mechanism during their larval stages. These spines, called scoli, contain toxins that can be harmful to humans because they can cause hemostatic disorders when injected into the bloodstream. Envenomation by Lonomia has been a matter of public concern in countries where contact with these caterpillars poses a risk to the rural population, and while antivenoms exist, they are not readily available in rural areas. By identifying the structures that produce the venom, it may be possible to identify the structure that expresses the genes encoding the toxins and to develop a higher purity venom extract for antivenom production. The structures associated with the production of venom in the caterpillar have so far been described for one species of the genus: Lonomia obliqua. In the present work, histological techniques with epoxy resin were used to identify the structures associated with venom synthesis in the Colombian species Lonomia casanarensis. While the tissular morphology of Lonomia casanarensis was found to be very similar to that previously documented in Lonomia obliqua, a novel structure was found in the apical portion of the scoli; this gland-like structure may be associated with the production of the proteins present in the insect's venom and proposes a new perspective on the structures in which Lonomia produces it's venom. |
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