DESCRIPTION OF HEMOCYTES AND THE COAGULATION PROCESS IN THE BOLL WEEVIL, ANTHONOMUS GRANDIS BOHEMAN (CURCULIONIDAE)

¹ Boll Weevil Research Laboratory, State College, Miss.

1. Hemocytes of larval boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were classified on a morphological basis into four types. Prohemocytes had a large nucleus and a thin band of peripheral cytoplasm, which increased in quantity and became more optically dense to phase contrast as the prohemocytes matured. All gradations to spherical plasmatocytes were observed. Plasmatocytes were characterized by their great pheomorphic capability. The cytoplasm varied in that it was granular with fine or large granules, dense and uniform to phase contrast or heterogeneous with areas of different optical density as well as possessing vacuoles or various inclusions, in addition to being hyaline or refractive at the cellular periphery. Phasmatocytes assumed spherical, pseudopodial or fusiform, as well as irregular, shapes during a process of stranding or when flattening onto a glass stirface. Plasmatocytes were phagocytic. Cells filled with lipoid globules were tentatively classed as adipohemocytes. A fourth type of cell, spherule cells, was characterized by the presence of one to several large globules which were amorphous and non-refractive to phase contrast. These cells were large and often distended by the inclusions.

2. A slow process of network formation was the only observed indication of coagulation. Plasmatocytes underwent extension stranding by extension, retraction, probing, and anastomosis with protoplasmic arms from other cells to produce networks. The extent of these networks depended partially upon the proximity of stranding cells.