Recent Advances in Insect Embryology in Japan and Poland
Edited by H. Ando and Cz. Jura
Arthropod. EmbryoL. Soc. Jpn.
(ISEBU Co. Ltd., Tsukubal 1987

151

Relationship between Notoptera and Dermaptera,from the Embryological Standpoint*

Hiroshi ANDO
andRyuichiro MACHIDA
Synopsis
The embryogenesis of Notoptera and Dermaptera is compared, and their relationship is
discussed. The periplasm is scanty in the notopteran eggs, and the blastoderm is thin. The
embryo of this order is categorized as the short-germ type, and the immersion of embryo into theyolk is of the invagination type. Notoptera and Dermaptera, to which a closer affinity to the former has been attributed by some authors, according to present studies are quite different in some
important embryological features, and the closer phylogenetical relationship between them isthought to be doubtful. Brief comparisons of embryogenesis of Notoptera with those of someother orthopteroid orders are also given.

Introduction
Notoptera (Grylloblattodea) are cryptozoic, apterous insects and represent thesmallest insect order, inhabiting under stones and in caves in alpine areas of the northern circumpacific region. Since their discovery, they have been attracting the attentionsof entomologists, and lot of studies on their taxonomy, morphology, ecology and phylogeny have been done. However, insofar as their phylogenetical affinity, it is controversial, and we have not attained the generally accepted view: some authors attributed their closer affinity to Blattodea (Walker, 1914; Imms, 1927; Snodgrass, 1937;* Partly read at the International Symposium of Phylogeny and Evolution of Orthopteroidea organized by Prof. B. Baccetti et al., Jan. 14-18, 1986, Siena, Italy.
Contributions from Sugadaira Montane Research Center, University of Tsukuba, No. 109.

152

H. Ando and R. Machida

Bey-Bienko, 1951; Sharov, 1966), the others to Orthoptera (Crampton, 1933; Snodgrass, 1937; Walker, 1938; Nakamura, 1946; Blackith and Blackith, 1968; Matsuzaki etal., 1979; Nagashima, 1982), to Isoptera (Rae and O'Farrell, 1959), and to Dermaptera(Rae and O'Farrell, 1959; Kadam, 1961; Giles, 1963; Kamp, 1973; Edwards, 1982).
Some authors found out ancestral features in Notoptera, but Nagashima et al. (1982)
regarded them as neoteneously evolved Orthoptera, Baccetti (1981, 1982) as highly
specialized orthopteroids, and Matsuzaki et al. (1979) as orthopteroid representatives
but being not primitive.
For the solution of the phylogenetical controversy, the comparative embryologicalstudy may offer important information. In the present paper we pay attention mainly
to this standpoint. First we illustrate some features of the embryogenesis of Notoptera
and Dermaptera to make comparisons between them, and then examine their phylogenetical relationship. Brief comparisons of embryogenesis of Notoptera with those ofsome other orthopteroid orders are also given.

Materials and Methods
For the embryological studies of Notoptera and Dermaptera we utilized Galloisiana
nipponensis (Caudell et King) and Anisolabis maritima Gene as materials respectively, andthe methods employed were the same as previously described (Ando and Nagashima,
1982; Fuse and Ando, 1983).

Observations
Some features oj embryogenesis oj a notopteran Galloisiana nipponensis
The embryonic development of G. nipponensis is already outlined (Ando andNagashima, 1982).
Eggs of this insect have a very large amount of yolk, scanty cytoplasmic reticulaand periplasm, and a very thin blastoderm forms (Figs. I, 2). The germ rudiment issmall (ca. 300 fl m in diameter), situated at the posterior end of egg (Fig. 3). Immersion of the embryo into the yolk is accomplished with the posterior amnioserosal fold(if. Fig. 4). As a result of the anatrepsis, the embryo is deeply situated in the yolk (Fig.
5). Thickened area of the serosa is found at the posterior end of the egg in the stages
before katatrepsis (Figs. 5, 6), which may be interpreted as the hydropylar area.
Epineural sinus is moderate-sized (Fig. 5). A unique structure, eversible sac, is formedon the ventral surface of the first abdominal segment (Fig. 7).

Some features oj embryogenesis oj a dermapteran Anisolabis maritima
The embryonic development of A. maritima is already outlined (Fuse and Ando,
1983) .
Eggs of this insect have a thick periplasm, and a thick blastoderm forms (Figs. 8,

Notoptera and Dermaptera from embryological standpoint

153

Figs. 1-7. Sections of eggs of Galloisiana nipponensis. Chorion removed.
1. Newly laid egg. Scale: 100 J1 m. 2. Blastoderm. Scale: 100 J1 m. 3. Germ rudiment. Scale: 100 J1 m. 4. Embryo initiating anatrepsis, sagittal. Sc<!!.e: 100 J1 m:
5. Egg just before katatrepsis, sagittal. Scale: 500 J1 m. 6. Hydropylar area, enlargement of Fig. 5. Scale: 100 J1 m. 7. Eversible sac of full grown embryo, sagittal. Scale: 50 J1 m.
Am, amnion; ASF, posterior amnioserosal fold; Bl, blastoderm; Ep, epidermis; ES, epineural sinus; EvS, eversible sac; GAI- 2, ganglia of first and second abdominal segments; GR,
germ rudiment; HA, hydropylar area; Lr, labrum; ME, developing midgut epithelium; Pt,
proctodaeum; SC, serosal cuticle; Se, serosa; St, stomodaeum.

154

H. Ando and R. Machida

10

12

Figs. 8-12. Sections of eggs of Anisolabis maritima. Chorion removed.
8. Newly laid egg. Scale: 100 fL m. 9. Blastoderm under formation. Scale: 100 fL
m. 10. Germ rudiment. Scale: 500 fL m. 11. Young embryo, sagittal. Embryonicmembranes removed. Scale: 500 fL m. 12. Embryo just before katatrepsis, sagittal.
Embryonic membranes removed. Scale: 500 fL m.
Am, amnion; At, antenna; BI, blastoderm; Ce, cercus (forceps); CL, caudal loop; ES,epineural sinus; GC, primordial germ cells; GR, germ rudiment; Lr, labrum; Pp, periplasm;
Pt, proctodaeum; St, stomodaeum; T3, third thoracic segment.
9). The germ rudiment forms at the ventral side, and it nearly attains in length a halfof the circumference of the egg (Fig. 10). The embryo undergoes the development
throughout on the egg surface (Figs. 10- 12), and is of the superficial type. A large
epineural sinus appears (Fig. 12).

Discussion
The embryogenesis of Dermaptera was studied by some workers: Forjicula auricularis by Heymons (1895) and Anisolabis maritima by (Fuse and Ando (1983), and viviparous species Hemimerus talpoides by Heymons (1912) and Arixeniajacobsoni by Hagan(1951) . The embryogenesis of the latter two species is of specialized type, especially inNotoptera and Dermaptera from embryological standpoint

155

case of H. talpoides, and we take no thought of them here.
We find differences between the embryogenesis of the Notoptera and that of theDermaptera (see also. Heymons, 1895; Fuse and Ando, 1983) in some important features. Firstly, according to the thickness of the periplasm or blastoderm: the periplasm
is scanty in the former, and rather thin blastoderm forms, while in the latter both periplasm and blastoderm are thick. Secondly, according to the germ type: the small germ
rudiment is formed at the posterior end of the egg in the former, whereas that of thelatter is rather long, and it nearly attains in length a half of the circumference of theegg. Here we may categorize the embryos of the former and latter ones to the sbortgerm and long-germ types respectively (see also Krause, 1939). Some authors such as
Sander (1984) pointed out the corelation between the germ type and oogenesis, and thecases of Notoptera and Dermaptera well document their statement: the former has apanoistic type ovary (Matsuzaki et al., 1979), and the latter a meroistic (polytrophic)one (Singh, 1967). Thirdly, according to the type of the immersion of embryo: theembryo is immersed deeply into the yolk in the former and it is of invagination type,but in the latter the embryo undergoes the development throughout on the egg surface,
and the embryo is of superficial type. These features of the egg or embryogenesis arequite different between Notoptera and Dermaptera, and those in Dermaptera as well as
their oogenesis might rather resemble those in holometabolous insects. In addition, in
Notoptera hydropylar area forms, while in Dermaptera such a structure is not found,and the eversible sac is also characteristic of Notoptera. On the other hand, in Dermaptera primordial germ cells, which appear in a form of large clump in the yolk, canbe clearly distinguished already in the early stage of development, i. e. in germ rudiment stage (Heymons, 1895), and a large epineural sinus may be characteristic of Dermaptera as well. We may here maintain that Notoptera and Dermaptera have quite
different types of embryogenesis, and that the close relationship between them, whichsome authors such as Rae and O'Farrell (1959), Kadam (1961) and Giles (1963) fromcomparative morphological, Kamp (1973) from numerical taxonomical, and Edwards(1982) from ecological bases suggested, should be doubtful and both the orders should
belong to the different groups being phylogenetically not closely related.
We may say that some important features found in Notoptera, i. e. thin periplasm
or blastoderm, panoistic ovary type and the short-germ embryo of invagination typeare widely spread within Orthopteroidea (e. g. Heymons, 1895; Leuzinger et al., 1926;
Roonwal, 1936, 1937; Striebel, 1960), although there are found some exceptions, for example, an orthopteran Gryllotalpa has a long-germ type embryo of superficial type
(Heymons, 1895). It regards the embryogenesis of Notoptera as representative one within Orthopteroidea, but we could not detect, in our preliminary studies, any embryological bases facilitating the further discussion on the phylogenetical position of Notoptera within Orthopteroidea. In some orthopterans (e. g. Slifer, 1938) the hydropylar
area is formed on the serosa as in Notoptera, and the fact might reflect some rela. tionship between them. However, of course, this feature alone would not suffice to suppose affinity. For the definite discussion on the affinities of Notoptera within Orthopteroidea, the further detailed studies on the embryogenesis of Notoptera will be derived infuture.

156

H. Ando and R. Machida

Acknowledgments
We wish to express our sincere thanks to Dr. T. Nagashima, Tokyo University ofAgriculture, and Mr. S. Shimizu, Sugadaira Montane Research Center, University ofTsukuba, for their assistance.

References
Ando, H. and T. Nagashima, 1982. A preliminary note on the embryogenesis of Galloisiana nipponensis (Caudell et King). In H. Ando (ed. ), Biology of the Notoptera, 89-95. KashiyoInsatsu, Nagano.
Baccetti, B., 1981. Notulae orthopterologicae. XXXVII. Nuova interpretazione dell'apparato
riproduttore maschile nei grilloblattoidei. Mem. Soc. Entomol. Ital., Genova 60: 49-60.
- - - - - - " 1982. The spermatozoon of Arthropoda. XXXII. Galloisiana nipponensis (Caudell
et King) (Grylloblattodea). In H. Ando (ed. ), Biology of the Notoptera, 71-78. KashiyoInsatsu, Nagano.
Bey-Bienko, G. Ya., 1951. A new representative of orthopteroid insect of the group Grylloblattoidea (Orthoptera) in the fauna of USSR (in Russian). Entomol. Obozr. 31: 506-509.
Blackith, R. E. and R. M. Blackith, 1968. A numerical taxonomy of orthopteroid insects. Aust.].
Zool. 16: 111-131.
Crampton, G. C., 1933. The affinities of the archaic orthopteroid family Grylloblattidae, and its
position in the general phylogenetic scheme.]. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 41: 127-166.
Edwards, J. S., 1982. Habitat, behaviour and neurobiology of an American grylloblattid. In H.
Ando (ed. ), Biology of the Notoptera, 19-28. Kashiyo-Insatsu, Nagano.
Fuse, Y. and H. Ando, 1983. Embryonic development of earwig, Anisolabis maritima (Dermaptera)by external observation (in Japanese with English summary). New Entomol. 32: 9-16.
Giles, E. T., 1963. The comparative external morphology and affinities of the Dermaptera. Trans.
Roy. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 115: 95-164.
Hagan, H. R., 1951. Embryology of the Viviparous Insects. Ronald Press, New York.
Heymons, R., 1895. Die Embryonalentwicklung von Dermapteren und Orthopteren unter Besonderer Beriicks~~htigung der Keimblatterbildung. Gustav Fischer, Jena.
- - - - - , 1912. Uber den Genitalapparat und die Entwicklung von Hemimerus talpoides Walker. Zool.lb., Suppl. 15: 141-184.
Imms, A. D., 1927. On the affinities of the Grylloblattidae. Psyche 34: 36-39.
Kadam, K., 1961. Studies on the morphology of an Indian earwig, Labidura riparia Pall., var. inermis Brunner. 1. External features and skeleto-muscular system of the head.]. Zool. Sci. India 13: 34-49.
Kamp, J. M., 1973. Numerical classification of the orthopteroids with special reference to the
Grylloblattodea. Can. Entomol. 105: 1235-1249.
Krause, G., 1939. Die Eitypen der Insekten. Bioi. Zbl. 59: 495-536.
Leuzinger, H., R. Wiesmann and F. E. Lehmann, 1926. Zur Kenntnis der Anatomie und Entwicklungsgeschichte der Stabheuschrecke Carausius mOTOSUS Br. Gustav Fischer, Jena.
Matsuzaki, M., H. Ando and S. N. Visscher, 1979. Fine structure of oocyte and follicular cells
during oogenesis in Galloisiana nipponensis (Caudell et King) (Grylloblattoidea: Grylloblattidae). Int.]. Insect Morphol. Embryol. 8: 257-263.
Nagashima, T., 1982. Anatomy of Galloisiana nipponensis (Caudell et King). Part. 1. Skeletomuscular system of the head. In H. Ando (ed. ), Biology of the Notoptera, 113-135.
Kashiyo-Insatsu, Nagano.
- - - - - - " H. Ando and G. Fukushima, 1982. Life history of Galloisiana nipponensis (Caudell
et King). In H. Ando (ed. ), Biology of the Notoptera, 43-59. Kashiyo-Insatsu, Nagano.
Nakamura, K., 1946. Chromosomes of Galloisiana nipponensis (Orthoptera) (in Japanese). La Kromosoma 1: 29-30.

Notoptera and Dermaptera from embryo logical standpoint

157

Rae, C. A. and A. F. O'Farrell, 1959. The retrocerebral complex and ventral glands of the primitive orthopteroid Gryltoblatta campodeiformis Walker, with a note on the homology of the muscle core of the "prothoracic gland" in Dictyoptera. Proc. Roy. Entomol. Soc. Lond., (AJ 34: 7682.
Roonwal, M. L., 1936. Studies on the embryology of the African migratory locust, Locusta migratoria migratorioides. I. The early development, with a new theory of multiphased gastrulation
among insects. Phi!. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond., Ser. B 226: 391-42l.
- - - - - - , 1937. Studies on the embryology of the African migratory locust, Locusta migratoria
migratorioides. 11. Organogeny. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond., Ser. B 227: 175-244.
Sander, K., 1984. Extrakaryotic determinants, a link between oogenesis and embryonic patternformation in insects. Proc. Arthropod. Embryol. Soc. jpn. 19: 1-12.
Sharov, A. G., 1966. Basic Arthropodan Stock with Special Reference to Insects. Pergamon
Press, Oxford, New York.
Singh, J. P., 1967. Early embryonic development of gonads in Labidura riparia Pallas (Labiduridae, Dermaptera). Agra Univ.j. Res. (16): 67-76.
Slifer, E. H., 1938. The formation and structure of a special water-absorbing area in the membranes covering the grasshopper egg. Q. j. Microsc. Sci. 80: 437-457.
Snodgrass, R. E., 1937. The male genitalia oforthopteroid insects. Smiths. Misc. Colt. 96: 1-107.
Striebel, H., 1960. Zur Embryonalentwicklung der Termiten. Acta Trop. 17: 193-260.
Walker, E. M., 1914. A new species of Orthoptera, forming a new genus and family. Can. Entomol. 46: 93-99.
- - - - - - . , 1938. On the anatomy of Gryltoblatta campodeiformis Walker. 3. Exoskeleton andmusculature of the neck and thorax. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 31: 588-640.

Authors' address: Prof. H. Ando and Dr. R. Machida
Sugadaira Montane Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Sanada,
Nagano 386-22, Japan