Grant-funded Project Nr. 234/2004/B-BIO/PřF
Final Report

Project title:Anagenesis of scent glands and other apomorphic structures of representatives of true bugs (Insecta: Heteroptera) from the superfamily Pentatomoidea
Research leader:Mgr. Petr Kment, 2001
Co-researcher: Doc. RNDr. Jitka Vilímová, CSc.; Petr Šrámek
Period of project:2004-2004
Overall grant:60 000 CZK

Project Results

The following subjects were studied in the project „Anagenesis of scent glands and other apomorphic structures of representatives of heteropteran higher taxa (Insecta: Heteroptera)” during 2004.
The study of comparative morphology of the structures associated with the metapaleural scent glands (= MTG) opening of the family Tessaratomidae sensu lato (started in 2002-2003) continued, since we have a possibility to examine specimen of very rare genus Prionogaster. The family is considered one of the plesiomorphic taxa of the superfamily Pentatomoidea by most of the specialists. Two basic types of the structures studied were found, distinguishing the subfamily Tessaratominae plus Natalicolinae from the Oncomerinae. Our results confirmed the already published opinions (e. g., Schaefer 1993) accepting the taxon Oncomerinae as a distinct subfamily. The hypothetical anagenesis of the structures was suggested. The hypothesis should be a basic step of a more general approach to the evolution of the structures in the Heteroptera. The results:
a) are summarized in the paper “The external structures associated with the metapleural scent glands in the family Tessaratomidae (Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea)” (Kment & Davidová-Vilímová  in prep.) supposed to submit to European Journal of Entomology to the end of 2005.
b) were presented in the form of poster on the international conference „Third European Hemiptera Congress“ in St. Petersburgu (8.-11.June 2004) (Kment & Davidová-Vilímová 2004).
Revision of the poorly known Acanthosomatidae from Madagascar and Seychelles. The basic taxonomic and morphological research revealled 9 species in 3 genera, 3 of the species so far undescribed. During the study of the structures associated with MTG, useful distinguishing characters for all three genera were found.
Revision of the genus Mustha. Study of the numerous material from different museums revealled several synonyms and at least 2 undescribed species. Examination of the MTG evaporatoria indicated intraspecific variability of these structures, which is in contradiction with other studied true bug genera. The examination of the types of Mustha spinosula is necessary for a finishing of this research.
A lot of terms used to name the structures associated with MTG were excerpted from the papers published. The terms are not used uniformly. The term list has been organized, in which the terms are still added. To choose the best fitting terms for the structures and to find their synonyms are the particular aims of the study. The results of the study are continously complemented for a publishing.

KMENT P. & DAVIDOVÁ-VILÍMOVÁ J. 2004: The external structures associated with the metapleural scent glands in the family Tessaratomidae (Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea), pp. 45-46. In: KERZHNER I. M. (ed.): Third European Hemiptera Congress, 8-11 June, 2004, St. Petersburg, Russia. Abstracts. 87 pp.