While exploring a wasp’s finer details under extreme magnification I stumbled across some rather mysterious structures:
What are they?
To earn points in tonight’s challenge, be the first person to pick:
- The name of the objects (5 points).
- The type of insect usually associated with these (2 pts; hint: not a wasp!).
- The physiological function (3 points).
The cumulative points winner for the month of February will take home their choice of 1) any 8×10-sized print from my photo galleries, or 2) a guest post here on Myrmecos.
Good luck!
18 comments on Monday Night Mystery: A Molecular Beach Ball?
Obviously you got a hold of my dog’s bucky ball chew toy.
That’s pretty much what I thought first time I saw one, Kate! Nature discovered bucky balls first, it seems.
These look like poolen grains, usually found on bees (and other pollinators), and their physiological function would be pollination.
I’m going to guess pollen grains, Apis mellifera and plant fertilization.
Do you think it is Wattle pollen, Acacia dealbata?
http://www.nikonsmallworld.com/gallery/year/2011/27
Your people are super quick, Alex!
As an aside, forensic palynology sounds really cool. I’m still amazed that tiny insects and pollen can be used to solve murders or even provide evidence to convict war criminals.
Funny, I was just talking about these earlier today. They are brochosomes from a leafhopper. Judging from SEMs, one would believe they contaminate every surface in the entire world.
Thank you for this, I can now say I’ve learned something today and it’s only 9:45am. What an amazing little product–a molecule we have been fascinated with for decades and can only produce using vaccuum electrolysis and chromatography is being produced in huge quantities by the Cicadellidae. Neato.
It’s a bit small to be pollen, isn’t it? My best bet is that they’re secretion glands, especially with the stuff oozing out. So maybe it’s signalling protein for mating? I’m not sure what other organisms are particularly known for this so I’m going to make a guess and say ant. Perhaps the ants without wings need to secrete pheromones because they aren’t as mobile as insects that do have wings (although there are wasps that are also wingless, I think)….
It’s a shot in the dark.
Hah. If it is a brochosome at least I got the secretory part right.
Looks like somebody answered on facebook. Last week, that’s what I did too. It’s not clear whether the answer should be posted here or there! I’m just glad to find out what that somebody had the answer! Fascinating structures!
Either venue is fine, Frederique. I note the time of each comment in both places when tallying points.
Looks like someone sneezed on the lens to the electron microscope again.
Now MrILTA, how does one sneeze on a lens made of a magnetic field?
Humor to assuage the pain of always getting in late to these contests?
I thought pollen, but now I have to go learn somethimng about brochosomes.
Too much iron in their diet?
They look kind of like the eyes of a strepsipteran, but don’t seem to be attached to the body of same.
Do you have more documentations of brs on “non-Hemiptera” species?! That would be great!
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