The structure of alimentary system and feeding analysis of the larva of Neoneuromus ignobilis

The anatomy of the alimentary system of Neoneuromus ignobilis Navas larvae was studied by observation and scanning electron microscopy and their feeding characteristics combining with the composition of food residue in the intestinal tract was analyzed.The alimentary system of the N.ignobilis larva was simple with no special features.The tenuous alimentary canal was composed of foregut,midgut and hindgut.The foregut and hindgut were longer,comprising 42% and 47% of the total body length respectively,whereas the midgut was shorter,comprising only 11% of total body length.The foregut was composed of oesophagus,crop and proventriculus.The crop was greatly distended like a bladder.The inner structure of the crop was very unusual with six chitinous structures arranged in the crop wall like a ring.Paired,fasces-shaped,salivary glands,each of which was composed of about 30 filaments,were located in the two flanks of each mandible.There were four gastric cecae,thicker and shorter.Seven Malpighian tubules were long and thin.Food residue was mostly in the foregut and hindgut and comprised of black and brown chyme,sand and the exoskeletons of arthropods.These results indicate that N.ignobilis larvae are predatory and mostly feed on the soft organic parts of animals,sometimes sand accompanied by food.