1979/07/15 by Ronald S. Petralia, S. Bradleigh Vinson · 3 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Neuroscience · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research #Fossil Insects in Amber #Instar #Biology #Larva #Hatching #Zoology #Anatomy #Botany #Ecology
paper · doi:10.1093/aesa/72.4.472
openalex publication_date 1979/07/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/16
The egg of the imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, becomes embryo-like before the larva emerges. Hatching is described. First instars are hairless. Second instars have only a few small, simple hairs. Third instars have moderately numerous short hairs, either simple, branched or bifid. Fourth instars have long, straight, simple hairs on the head and anteroventral body region; all other body hairs and some posterior head hairs are strongly bifid. The mandibles of only the 4th instar are sclerotized. Both eggs and larvae stick together in clumps in the colony by means in eggs and 1st and 2nd instars of an adhesive coating, and in 3rd and 4th instars by hooked hairs which interlock on adjacent larvae. A simple method for determining the developmental stage of live larvae of the imported fire ant is provided.