昆虫是地球上占主导地位的动物群体。尽管如此丰富,我们对生物学和发育的许多方面的大部分知识来自一个独特的模型,醋飞,黑腹果蝇.然而,在过去的几年里,分子工具和成像技术的进步使得新昆虫模型的出现,添加有价值的信息来破译形状多样性形成和进化背后的形态发生基础,尺寸,以及表征它们的模式。Earwigs属于Dermaptera,它是聚在多翅目组中的一个小顺序。它们是半代谢昆虫,身体扁平,特征性的腹部钳,和产妇护理行为。最后一个特征及其在农业生态系统中的作用已在诸如Forficulaailicularia和Euborelliaannulipes之类的世界性物种中进行了研究;但是,它们的繁殖和胚胎发育在实验室条件下没有得到很好的解决。作为回应,在这里,我们描述了从若虫到成虫阶段的环腿Euborellia全环胚胎发育和生命周期,它的繁殖,以及基本的形态和行为特征。此外,使用共聚焦和透射电子显微镜,我们详细分析了其独特的多养卵巢的形态发生。我们的目标是提供一个新兴的模型系统来进行昆虫卵子发生的比较研究,发展,和形态进化。
Insects are the dominant group of animals on Earth. Despite this abundance, most of our knowledge about many aspects of their biology and development come from a unique model, the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Nevertheless, in the last years, the advances in molecular tools and imaging techniques have allowed the emergence of new insect models, adding valuable information to decipher the morphogenetic bases behind the formation and evolution of the vast diversity of shapes, sizes, and patterns that characterize them. Earwigs belong to Dermaptera which is a small order clustered in the Polyneopteran group. They are hemimetabolous insects with a flattened body, characteristic abdominal pincers, and maternal care behavior. This last feature and their role in agroecosystems have been studied in cosmopolitan species such as Forficula auricularia and Euborellia annulipes; however, their reproduction and embryonic development have been poorly addressed in laboratory conditions. In response, here we describe the ring-legged earwig Euborellia annulipes embryogenesis and life cycle from nymphal to adult stages, its reproduction, and essential morphological and behavioral characters. Additionally, using confocal and transmission electron microscopy we analyzed in detail the morphogenesis of its peculiar meroistic polytrophic ovary. Our aim is to provide an emerging model system to perform comparative studies on insect oogenesis, development, and morphological evolution.