COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF MUSCLE SETS IN LARVAL AND ADULT STAGES OF ZOPHOBAS-MORIO (COLEOPTERA, TENEBRIONIDAE)

The muscles of the metathoracic segment are described for the larva an d imago of the beetle Zophobas morio. In the search for possible homon omous and ontogenetic persistent structures, we further employed muscl es served by the first segmental nerve in the thoracic and abdominal s egments. In the larva, eight muscles per hemisegment are associated wi th this nerve. Based on topological criteria they may be characterized as homonomous for all tested segments. In the adult, the topology of the dorsal muscles seems to be different compared to the larval situat ion, due to the complex structural remodelling during metamorphosis. H owever, a supplementary analysis employing the innervation pattern all ows us to equate larval with adult muscles, even down to the level of individual motor units. Comparison of different orthopteran and coleop teran species provides some evidence that these muscles are homologous , apparently representing part of a basic pattern common in pterygote insects.