Development Genes and Evolution - New Cover as of August 2022

The making of an aphid

Upper image of the montage picture shows how the Ap-Vas1 protein (green), a germline marker, is patterned in the parthenogenetic and viviparous ovariole. Staining of alpha-tubulin (magenta) highlights structures of the germarium (left) and adjacent embryo (right). The lower image shows a parthenogenetic mother pea aphid (left), which bears ovarioles as shown above, giving birth to an aphid nymph viviparously. The aphid nymph emerging from the mother, as well as the newly born aphid nymph (right), both carry developing ovarioles and are pregnant already.

Image credit: Chen-yo Chung, Gee-Way Lin, and Chun-che Chang.  

See also their review article on these fascinating features of aphid biology from the August 2022 journal issue:
Lin, GW., Chung, Cy., Cook, C.E. et al. Germline specification and axis determination in viviparous and oviparous pea aphids: conserved and divergent features. Dev Genes Evol 232, 51–65 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-022-00690-7 (this opens in a new tab)