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. 2020 Sep 16;18(9):e3000828. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000828

Fig 1. MP and MG are responsible for test and persistent biting.

Fig 1

(A) Feeding on mulberry leaves by silkworm larvae. (1) Palpation: a silkworm larva first palpates the leaf surface with its maxilla (MP and MG) for 5–30 seconds. The white arrow and arrowhead indicate MP and MG. (2) Test biting: the larva bites the leaf edge several times intermittently during palpation. (3) Persistent biting: the larva nibbles the leaf edge repeatedly (2–3 times per second) with its head moving in the dorsoventral direction along the leaf edge. Magenta arrows indicate the direction of head movement. (B) Mouthparts of a silkworm larva. Upper larval mouthparts including 1 pair of maxilla. Lower higher-magnification view of the maxilla. The maxilla consists of the MG and MP. The MG has 2 gustatory sensilla, the LS and MS. (C) Frequency of biting by intact, MP-ablated, MG-ablated, and AN-ablated larvae of mulberry leaves over a 10-second period. Data are means ± SD (n = 5). For numerical raw data, please see S2 Data. (D) Representative raster plots of the timing and duration of the biting behavior of larvae in (C). Red and green lines indicate test and persistent bites, respectively. AN, antenna; LS, lateral styloconic sensillum; MG, maxillary galea; MP, maxillary palp; MS, medial styloconic sensillum.