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Proboscis
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===Lepidoptera mouth parts=== [[File:Convolvulus hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli) 2.jpg|thumb|[[Convolvulus hawk-moth]] (''[[Agrius convolvuli]]'') feeding with extended proboscis]] The mouth parts of [[Lepidoptera]] ([[butterfly|butterflies]] and [[moth]]s) mainly consist of the sucking kind; this part is known as the proboscis or 'haustellum'. The proboscis consists of two tubes held together by hooks and separable for cleaning. The proboscis contains muscles for operating. Each tube is inwardly concave, thus forming a central tube up which moisture is sucked. Suction takes place due to the contraction and expansion of a sac in the head.<ref name="Evans">Evans, W. H. (1927) [https://archive.org/details/TheIdentificationOfIndianButterflies ''Identification of Indian Butterflies''], The Diocesan press. Introduction, pp. 1β35.</ref> A specific example of the proboscis being used for feeding is in the species ''[[Deilephila elpenor]]''. In this species, the moth hovers in front of the flower and extends its long proboscis to attain its food.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ysJZBhHe8IcC&q=deilephila+elpenor+behavior&pg=PA85|title=From Animals to Animats 7: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Simulation of Adaptive Behavior|last1=Hallam|first1=Bridget|last2=Floreano|first2=Dario|last3=Hallam|first3=John|last4=Hayes|first4=Gillian|last5=Meyer|first5=Jean-Arcady|date=2002|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=9780262582179|language=en}}</ref> A few Lepidoptera species lack mouth parts and therefore do not feed in the [[imago]]. Others, such as the family [[Micropterigidae]], have mouth parts of the chewing kind.<ref name=tj>Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson (2005). ''Borror and Delong's Introduction to the Study of Insects'' (7th edition). Thomson Brooks/Cole, Belmont, CA. {{ISBN|0-03-096835-6}}</ref> The study of insect mouthparts was helpful for the understanding of the functional mechanism of the proboscis of [[butterfly|butterflies]] (Lepidoptera) to elucidate the evolution of new form-function.<ref name="Krenn-2000-2">{{cite journal|vauthors=Krenn HW, Kristensen NP |year=2000|title=Early evolution of the proboscis of Lepidoptera: external morphology of the galea in basal glossatan moths, with remarks on the origin of the pilifers|journal=Zoologischer Anzeiger |volume=239|pages= 179β196}}</ref><ref name="Krenn-2004">{{cite journal|vauthors=Krenn HW, Kristensen NP |year=2004|title= Evolution of proboscis musculature in Lepidoptera|journal= European Journal of Entomology |volume=101|issue=4|pages= 565β575|doi=10.14411/eje.2004.080|doi-access=free|s2cid=54538516 |url=http://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/995a/3e78385f79d354a601ac1ff9b6a09fd56086.pdf}}</ref> The study of the proboscis of butterflies revealed surprising examples of adaptations to different kinds of fluid food, including [[nectar]], [[plant sap]], tree sap, dung<ref name="Krenn-2001">{{cite journal|title=Proboscis morphology and food preferences in Nymphalidae (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea)|journal=J. Zool. Lond.|year= 2001|volume=253|pages=17β26|vauthors=Krenn HW, Zulka KP, Gatschnegg T |doi=10.1017/S0952836901000528}}</ref><ref name="Krenn-2003">{{cite journal|title=Efficiency of fruit juice feeding in ''Morpho peleides'' (Nymphalidae, Lepidoptera)|journal=Journal of Insect Behavior|volume=16|pages=67β77|doi=10.1023/A:1022849312195|year=2003|last1=Knopp|first1=M. C. N.|last2=Krenn|first2=H. W.|issue=1 |bibcode=2003JIBeh..16...67K |s2cid=33428687}}</ref><ref name="Krenn-2010">{{cite journal|doi=10.1146/annurev-ento-112408-085338|pmid=19961330|pmc=4040413|title=Feeding Mechanisms of Adult Lepidoptera: Structure, Function, and Evolution of the Mouthparts|journal=Annual Review of Entomology|volume=55|pages=307β27|year=2010|last1=Krenn|first1=Harald W.}}</ref> and of adaptations to the use of [[pollen]] as complementary food in ''[[Heliconius]]'' butterflies.<ref name="Krenn-2009">{{cite journal|title=Mechanical damage to pollen aids nutrient acquisition in ''Heliconius'' butterflies (Nymphalidae)|journal=Arthropod-Plant Interactions|volume=3|issue=4|pages=203β208|doi=10.1007/s11829-009-9074-7|pmid=24900162|year=2009|last1=Krenn|first1=Harald W.|last2=Eberhard|first2=Monika J. B.|last3=Eberhard|first3=Stefan H.|last4=Hikl|first4=Anna-Laetitia|last5=Huber|first5=Werner|last6=Gilbert|first6=Lawrence E.|authorlink6=Lawrence E. Gilbert|pmc=4040415|bibcode=2009APInt...3..203K }}</ref><ref name="2011-2">{{cite journal|pmid=22208893|pmc=3281465|title=Pollen processing behavior of ''Heliconius'' butterflies: A derived grooming behavior|journal=Journal of Insect Science|volume=11|issue=99|pages=99|year=2011|last1=Hikl|first1=A. L.|last2=Krenn|first2=H. W.|doi=10.1673/031.011.9901}}</ref> An extremely long proboscis appears within different groups of flower-visiting insects, but is relatively rare. {{clear}}
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