Melissa Sanchez Herrera and I are organizing a Sys-EB Section symposium for the 2019 EntSoc meeting in St. Louis, MO.
The symposium is entitled:
Bugs in Technicolor: How Color Research Advocates for Entomology
The reflection and emission of light from insect surfaces has both fascinated and inspired entomologists and the general public for centuries. The goal for our symposium is to provide a setting in which to discuss color research and its use in public outreach initiatives that aim to inspire insect curiosity and advocate for entomology. We have talks that will be given by entomologists from different continents / countries working on diverse, ingenuitive projects that incorporate insect coloration components including production, structures, perception and selection.
In addition to these talks, we intend to have an electronic exhibit of images, illustrations, and videos that fulfill these criteria and we are thus seeking submissions for this endeavor.
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If you are interested in including an image please fill out the form below and upload your image / video!
What Controls Physiological Color Change in Argia apicalis?
Argia apicalis - male
I am very interested in the physiological processes that induce and control the color change that occurs in both A. apicalis males and blue-form females during MEs. Looking more closely at the anatomy of both the male and the female, to see if there is the potential for some form of mechanical stimulation occurring at either the tandem linkage site, or during actual copulation, that could be initiating the color change. I am currently in the process of cleaning and taking scanning electron images of A. apicalis male terminal segments and female prothoraces and mesostigmal complexes. The goal of this work is to find sensilla in locations where the males make contact with the females during tandem linkage and locate any tactile receptors that might send a signal to the either sex to ‘change color’.
A. apicalis female mesostigmal complex
© Amanda Whispell
I would also like to look at the potential for a humoral, hormonal, or neural stimuli to be coordinating the physical change that occurs in the cuticle itself. Looking at the histology of males in both DP and BP would be a good start, subsequently moving forward to look deeper into the hows and the whys.
A. apicalis male terminal segment
© Amanda Whispell