Pr. Sharma et al., Ultrastructure of the haemocytes of tobacco armyworm Spodoptera litura Fab. (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae), BIOLOGIA, 56(3), 2001, pp. 277-285
Ultrastructural and histochemical studies revealed the presence of five typ
es of haemocytes in the last instar larvae of Spodoptera litura Fab., namel
y the prohaemocytes (PRs), plasmatocytes(PLs), granular haemocytes(GRs), sp
herulocytes(SPs), and oenocytoids(OEs). The prohaemocytes were found to be
the smallest of all the haemocyte types, having a high nucleo-cytoplasmic r
atio. The plasmatocytes were polymorphic in shape and their nucleus was eit
her lobed or oval. The granular haemocytes were characterized by two types
of electron dense granules i.e, structureless, uniformly dense bodies and m
embrane-bound structured granules having compactly arranged microtubules. T
he spherulocytes were characterized by the presence of large-sized cytoplas
mic spherules, generally obscuring the nucleus. The oenocytoids revealed ce
rtain alternating and parallel hyaline and dark areas in their cytoplasm an
d only this haemocyte type reacted positive to dihydroxy phenyl alanine (DO
PA).