Three-dimensional visualization of ocellar interneurons of the orchid bee Euglossa imperialis using micro X-ray computed tomography

Abstract

We used contrast-optimized micro X-ray computed tomography (mCT) to trace the profiles of the full complement of large ocellar L-neurons in the male orchid bee Euglossa imperialis. We find that most L-neurons collect information from either the dorsal or the ventral retinae in both median and lateral ocelli, with only three neurons associated with the median ocellus having dendritic branches in both dorsal and ventral retina. In the median ocellus, we find also L-neurons that either collect information from the left or the right half of the ocellar plexus and two neurons that have a split dendritic tree in both halves. Fourteen large L-neurons collect information from the median ocellus and six to seven L-neurons from each of the lateral ocelli. The only L-neurons that project to the contralateral protocerebrum are those that have their dendritic branches in the ventral plexi of both median and lateral ocelli. The target areas of dorsal L-neurons from the lateral ocelli include a tract of mechanosensory fibers originating in the antennae. We compare our findings with what is known from the ocellar systems of other insects, make a number of functional inferences and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of mCT scans for the purpose of tracing large neuron profiles.