Figure 2 in The feeding apparatus of ants: an overview of structure and function

Figure 2. Micro-computed tomography (µCT)-based 3D reconstructions of the ant feeding apparatus anatomy. Formica rufa in (c) and Leptomyrmex unicolor elsewhere. (a) General ant mouthparts shown individually. Labium lateral, mandible dorsal, maxilla ventral, labrum frontal view. (b) Frontoventral view of closed mouthparts. Labrum covers part of maxillolabial complex and preoral space is sealed off. (c) The same view as figure 1b, but maxilla partly cut away to reveal points of fusion with labium (circles). (d) Musculature of maxillae seen from above, maxilla transparent in lower part. (e) Labium-associated muscles in side view, labium and hypopharynx transparent. (f) Head in sagittal section, focus on sucking pump and its muscles. Insert shows mouth opening with lacinial comb as filter. Colours: grey: head capsule and tentorium; light brown: mandibles; dark brown: labrum and labium; beige: maxilla; light blue: soft cuticle of preoral space; turquoise: hypopharynx; green: sucking pump; purple: salivary duct; red and orange: muscles. Interactive 3D models to further explore mouthpart anatomy are available here: mouthparts: https://skfb.ly/oHJoZ; maxilla: https://skfb.ly/oHJpp; labium: https://skfb.ly/oHJp7; sucking pump: https://skfb.ly/oHJpr.