Anatomy and histology of digestive tract in the red poplar leaf beetle Chrysomela populi Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Chrysomela populi is a harmful species in poplar and willows. Therefore, the aim of this study is to contribute to the anatomy and histology of the digestive tract of Coleoptera, including Chrysomelidae. In addition, the results obtained can provide the basis for future work on the development of new strategies for pest control. The digestive tract C. populi consist of three sections: foregut, mid-gut and hindgut. The foregut which is the first area of the gut and it has the following parts; pharynx, esophagus, crop, and proventriculus. The foregut has a monolayer of squamous epithelium. The midgut has of two regions: anterior and posterior. The midgut wall is surrounded by a simple columnar epithelium and two thin muscles. Along the midgut surface, there are numerous caeca in the form of bubbles associated with the midgut wall. C. populi has 4 Malpighian tubules, and these tubules are connected between the midgut and the hindgut. The hindgut is composed of ileum, colon and rectum parts. The hindgut wall has intima monolayer cubic epithelium and muscle layer. This is the first report on digestive tract histo-anatomy in C. populi. These data are discussed in comparison with the digestive tract in other Coleopteran species.