Eye of female Drosicha mangiferae in various developmental stgaes (Hemiptera:Coccoidea: Margarodidae)

Abstract

Arthropods possess various types of photoreceptors across the phylum. An adult photoreceptor comprises ocelli (simple eye), compound eye (multiple lenses) or both. In holometabolous insects, the compound eye sizes do not vary after it reaches its adult stage. However, in hemimetabolous insects, the compound eye grows throughout the life. The compound eye undergoes modification either by adding or removing functional units from the eye to provide adequate survivability to the animal. The current studies describe the eye of female mango mealy bug Drosicha mangiferae, which possesses only one pair of functional unit as it’s photoreceptor throughout its life. The current study explains the role of eye in the behaviour of the animal.