PLATE 1.38. QUEEN PETIOLE, DORSAL VIEW

TOP LEFT. Dorsal view of the essentially hairless petiole. The dark vertical sector (with one socketed cuticular hair) is the posterior portion of the mesoscutellum The intersegmental membrane spanning the propodeum and second abdominal tergite appears as a trilobed structure. (x 140)

MIDDLE LEFT. Tangential orientation of the petiole (the head is to the top). The numerous cuticular spines in the interseginental membrane are in a somewhat ordered array. (x 150)

BOTTOM LEFT. Higher magnification of the multipeaked cuticular spines on the intersegmental membrane of the petiolar region. The interspine areas have a low-lying bumpy texture. ( x 2,600)

TOP RIGHT Petiolar region (the head is to the left). The propodeum has been tipped forward so that its full posterior extent is visible as it attaches to the gaster (abdomen). The slender petiolar attachment is the vital linkage that connects the spherical thorax (with the first abdominal segment) with the even more massive gaster. (x 66)

MIDDLE RIGHT. Dorsal view of the interseginental membrane of the petiolar region (the head is to the upper left). Compare this micrograph with its left side counterpart in the bottom right micrograph (x 175)

BOTTOM RIGHT Lateral view of the petiolar region. At the extreme lower right (arrow) is the dorsal portion of the second abdominal spiracle. (x 60)