Morphological characterization of hemocyte types in some species belonging to Tettigoniidae and Pamphagidae (Insecta: Orthoptera)

In the present study, the species Eupholidoptera smyrnensis (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1882) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), Decticus verrucivorus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), and Glyphotmethis spp. (Orthoptera: Pamphagidae) were studied in order to determine hemocyte types. To that end, hemolymph smear preparations were stained using Wright’s stain. According to light microscopic examinations, five hemocyte types, prohemocytes, plasmatocytes, granulocytes, spherulocytes, and oenocytoids, were determined in each species. Prohemocytes are basic and the smallest cell type in the hemolymph. Plasmatocytes show polymorphism and they may have pseudopodia. Granulocytes are characterized by granules in their cytoplasm. Spherulocytes typically include spherical vacuoles. Oenocytoids are the largest cells among hemocyte types. These hemocyte types have similar characteristics in all examined species. Hemocyte measurements were also made. According to these measurements, E. smyrnensis hemocytes were smaller than those of Decticus verrucivorus and Glyphotmethis spp. Although included in different families, the two closest species in terms of hemocyte size were D. verrucivorus and Glyphotmethis spp