Abstract

Feeding posture (vertical/horizontal) has been found to have remarkable impact on food consumption, food assimilation, growth, molting etc. of the larvae of the ‘Muga’ silk moth Antheraea assamensis, endemic to Northeastern states of India[1].Transmission electron microscopy revealed that due to less food consumption at conventional tray-feeding (horizontal feeding posture) under indoor rearing condition, a number of abnormalities in ultra structural features of midgut columnar epithelial cell nucleus and mitochondria take place. Loss of contour, development of constrictions, evagination, invagination and breakage of membrane etc. were some of the abnormalities in nucleus. In mitochondria, vacuolization, inner and outer membrane distortion, de-shaping, loss of electron density etc. were evident. Significance of these abnormalities in the larva is discussed with the help of relevant literature.