79 



The size of the insect has only a subordinate influence on the structures of the wing base. 

 Investigation of closely related species of different size revealed that mainly the extent of 

 sclerotisation of the median plates, the caudal arm of the third axillary, and the apical area 

 of the posterior notal wing process is reduced in smaller animals. The form of the wing 

 base elements is not affected by body size. 



The investigation of the wing base of holometabolous insects yielded no evidence against 

 the theory already mentioned by Snodgrass (1909), that the axillary sclerites originate as 

 split off from the notum (lAx) and as newly formed elements of the wing membrane (2 Ax, 

 3Ax). In recent pterygotes (Brodskiy 1988, 1994) nothing supports an origin of the three 

 axillaries and the median plates from a number of smaller elements, as postulated by 

 Kukalovä-Peck (1991). According to Kukalova-Peck & Lawrence (1993) these original ele- 

 ments are recognizable in some extant Coleoptera. But even in Coleoptera with different 

 degrees of wing degeneration (Abb. 67) (Smith 1964, Geisthard 1974) there is no indication 

 of an origin of the axillaries from smaller elements. 



LITERATUR 



Achtelig, M., & N.P. Kristensen (1973): A re-examination of the relationships of the Raphi- 



dioptera (Insecta). - Z. zool. Syst. Evol. forsch. 11:268-274. 

 Adolph, G.E. (1879): Über Insektenflügel. - Nova Acta Leopoldina Carolinae 41:213-292. 



Arnett, R.H. jr. (1967): Present and future systematics of the Coleoptera in North America. - 

 Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 60:162-171. 



Badonnel, A . (1934): Recherches sur I'anatomie des Psoques. - Bull. Biol. France Belgique, Suppl. 

 18, 241 S. 



Baehr, M. (1975): Skelett und Muskulatur des Thorax von Priacma serrata Leconte (Col.: 



Cupedidae). - Z. Morph. Tiere 81:55-101. 

 Bauer, A. (1910): Die Muskulatur von Dytiscus marginalis L. Ein Beitrag zur Morphologie des 



Insektenkörpers. - Z. wiss. Zool., Abt. A 95:594-646. 

 Belkaceme, T. (1991): Skelet und Muskulatur des Kopfes und Thorax von Notems laevis Sturm. 



Ein Beitrag zur Morphologie und Phylogenie der Noteridae (Coleoptera: Adephaga). - Stuttgart. 



Beitr. Naturk., Ser. A 462:1-94. 



Betts, CR. (1986): The comparative morphology of the wings and axillae of selected Heteroptera. 



- J. Zool. (B) 1:255-282. 



Beutel, R . G . (1986): Skelet und Muskulatur des Kopfes und Thorax von Hygrobia tarda (Herbst). 

 Ein Beitrag zur Klärung der phylogenetischen Beziehungen der Hydradephaga (Insecta: Coleoptera). 



- Stuttgart. Beitr. Naturk. (A) 388:1-54. 



- (1995): Phylogenetic analysis of Elateriformia (Coleoptera: Polyphaga) based on larval characters. 



- J. Zool. Syst. Evol. Res. 33:145-171. 



Brodskiy, A.K. (1979a): Evoludon of the flight apparatus in Plecoptera. Part 1. Functional mor- 

 phology of the wings. - Ent. Rev. 58:31-36. 



- (1979b): Evolution of the flight apparatus in Plecoptera. Part II. Functional morphology of the 

 axillary apparatus, the skeleton, and the musculature. - Ent. Rev. 58:16-26. 



- (1986): Flight of the gigantic stonefly Allonarcys sachalina (Plecoptera, Pteronarcyidae) and the 

 study of the wing subination mechanism in insects. - Zool. Zhur. 65:349-360. 



- (1987): Struktur und Funktion der Insektenflügel. - Trudy Vses. ent. Obsch., Akad. Nauk SSSR, 

 Leningrad 69:4-19 trussisch]. 



- (1988): Structure, functioning and evolution of the wing articulation in insects. - Tschtenuja Pam. 

 Nikolaja Aleksandreovitscha Cholodkovskovo 78:3-47 Irussisch]. 



