Iron-based granules in body of bumblebees

0443012 - ÚFM 2016 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Jandacka, P. - Kasparova, B. - Jirásková, Yvonna - Dedkova, K. - Mamulová-Kutláková, K. - Kukutschová, J.
Iron-based granules in body of bumblebees.
Biometals. Roč. 28, č. 1 (2015), s. 89-99. ISSN 0966-0844. E-ISSN 1572-8773
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP108/11/1350
Institutional support: RVO:68081723
Keywords : Magnetoreception * Bumblebee * Biomineralisation * Iron granules
Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics
Impact factor: 2.134, year: 2015

The paper deals with the presence of ironbased granules in body parts of bumblebees. Two groups of bumblebees were collected from their natural habitat, industrial landscape, and from a breeding station. Detection of the magnetic particles was performed by a vibratory magnetometer and their morphology and elemental composition was analysed by scanning electron microscopy with EDX microanalysis. By means of the EDX spectra, wild bumblebees were found to have many magnetic and nonmagnetic particles on their body, containing Fe, O, Al, Si, Bi, Mg, K, and Ni, likely having origin in the industrial pollution of the environment. In the case of bred bumblebees the presence of iron-rich granules, which occurred more abundantly in subsurface tissues on the head and wings, was observed. Phase analysis based on X-ray diffraction shows that iron-based granules contain magnetite and wuestite and Mo¨ssbauer spectroscopy admits a superparamagnetic form of these minerals. Magnetoreception, i.e. the sensory function of these granules, is discussed within the paper.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0246104