The importance of antennal mechanosensilla of <i>Sepedon fuscipennis</i> (Diptera: Sciomyzidae)

Stoffolano, John G.; Rice, Marian; Murphy, William L.

doi:10.4039/tce.2012.103

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The lack of external sensory structures differs from that observed on the arista of the human bot fly, Dermatobia hominis (Linnaeus Jr. in Pallas, 1781), which showed different kinds of receptors, such as long bristles, coeloconic, and styloconic sensilla [ 62 ]. Additionally, on the arista (properly termed as stylus) of the marsh fly Sepedon fuscipennis Loew 1859, mechanosensilla arranged differently in females and males may have possible functions related to mating and foraging behaviour [ 63 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antennal Morphology and Fine Structure of Flagellar Sensilla in Hippoboscid Flies with Special Reference to Lipoptena fortisetosa (Diptera: Hippoboscidae)

Andreani

Belcari

Sacchetti

et al. 2022

Insects

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Lipoptena cervi (Linnaeus), Lipoptena fortisetosa Maa, Hippobosca equina Linnaeus, and Pseudolynchia canariensis (Macquart) are hematophagous ectoparasites that infest different animal species and occasionally bite humans. Hosts are located by a complex process involving different kinds of stimuli perceived mainly by specific sensory structures on the antennae, which are the essential olfactory organs. General antennal morphology, together with distribution and ultrastructure of sensilla, have been studied in detail with scanning and transmission electron microscopy approaches. Observations have revealed some common features among the four studied hippoboscids: (a) typical concealment of the flagellum inside the other two segments; (b) characteristic trabecular surface of the flagellum; (c) peculiar external microtrichia; (d) presence on the flagellum of basiconic sensilla and grooved peg coeloconic sensilla; (e) unarticulated arista. The ultrastructure of L. fortisetosa revealed that microtrichia and the flagellar reticulated cuticle are not innervated. Different roles have been hypothesized for the described antennal structures. Microtrichia and the reticulated cuticle could convey volatile compounds towards the flagellar sensory area. Peculiar sensory neurons characterize the unarticulated arista which could be able to detect temperature variations. Coeloconic sensilla could be involved in thermoreception, hygroreception, and carbon dioxide reception at long distances, while the poorly porous basiconic sensilla could play a role in the host odour perception at medium–short distances.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antennal Morphology and Fine Structure of Flagellar Sensilla in Hippoboscid Flies with Special Reference to Lipoptena fortisetosa (Diptera: Hippoboscidae)

Andreani

Belcari

Sacchetti

et al. 2022

Insects

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“…Second, structures such as protruding tusk-like teeth or horns are used as a tool for daily life such as to burrow or dig the soil in naked mole rats 11 and the sand-living anthicid beetle Mecynotarsus tenuipes 12 and to capture prey items in the larvae of the diving beetle Hyphydrus japonicas 13 . Third, some projections have many mechanical and chemical sensillae on their surface 14 – 17 and are used as probes to locate resources such as food, host plants, and mates 18 – 20 . Such projections include barbels in fish and antennae in insects and other arthropods such as centipedes, millipedes, macrurans, hermit crabs, and pill bugs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long horns protect Hestina japonica butterfly larvae from their natural enemies

Kandori

Hiramatsu

Soda

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Animals sometimes have prominent projections on or near their heads serving diverse functions such as male combat, mate attraction, digging, capturing prey, sensing or defence against predators. Some butterfly larvae possess a pair of long frontal projections; however, the function of those projections is not well known. Hestina japonica butterfly larvae have a pair of long hard projections on their heads (i.e., horns). Here we hypothesized that they use these horns to protect themselves from natural enemies (i.e., predators and parasitoids). Field surveys revealed that the primary natural enemies of H. japonica larvae were Polistes wasps. Cage experiments revealed that larvae with horns intact and larvae with horns removed and fitted with horns of other individuals succeeded in defending themselves against attacks of Polistes wasps significantly more often than larvae with horns removed. We discuss that the horns counter the paper wasps’ hunting strategy of first biting the larvae’s ‘necks’ and note that horns evolved repeatedly only within the Nymphalidae in a phylogeny of the Lepidoptera. This is the first demonstration that arthropods use head projections for physical defence against predators.

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“…Third, protruding tusk-like teeth or horns may be used to burrow or dig by animals such as naked mole rats and the sand-living anthicid beetle Mecynotarsus tenuipes [ 14 , 15 ]. Fourth, some projections have many mechanical and chemical sensors on their surface [ 16 – 19 ] and may be used to locate resources such as foods, host plants, and mates [ 20 – 22 ]. Examples include barbels in fish and antennae in insects and other arthropods such as centipedes, millipedes, macrurans, hermit crabs, and pill bugs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long Frontal Projections Help Battus philenor (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) Larvae Find Host Plants

et al. 2015

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Animals sometimes develop conspicuous projections on or near their heads as, e.g., weaponry, burrowing or digging tools, and probes to search for resources. The frontal projections that insects generally use to locate and assess resources are segmented appendages, including antennae, maxillary palps, and labial palps. There is no evidence to date that arthropods, including insects, use projections other than true segmental appendages to locate food. In this regard, it is noteworthy that some butterfly larvae possess a pair of long antenna-like projections on or near their heads. To date, the function of these projections has not been established. Larvae of pipevine swallowtail butterflies Battus philenor (Papilionidae) have a pair of long frontal fleshy projections that, like insect antennae generally, can be actively moved. In this study, we evaluated the possible function of this pair of long moveable frontal projections. In laboratory assays, both frontal projections and lateral ocelli were shown to increase the frequency with which search larvae found plants. The frontal projections increased finding of host and non-host plants equally, suggesting that frontal projections do not detect host-specific chemical cues. Detailed SEM study showed that putative mechanosensillae are distributed all around the frontal as well as other projections. Taken together, our findings suggest that the frontal projections and associated mechanosensillae act as vertical object detectors to obtain tactile information that, together with visual information from lateral ocelli and presumably chemical information from antennae and mouthparts, help larvae to find host plants. Field observations indicate that host plants are small and scattered in southern Arizona locations. Larvae must therefore find multiple host plants to complete development and face significant challenges in doing so. The frontal projections may thus be an adaptation for finding a scarce resource before starving to death. This is the first evidence that arthropods use projections other than true segmental appendages such as antennae, mouthparts and legs, to locate food resources.

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The importance of antennal mechanosensilla of Sepedon fuscipennis (Diptera: Sciomyzidae)

Cited by 6 publications

References 13 publications

Antennal Morphology and Fine Structure of Flagellar Sensilla in Hippoboscid Flies with Special Reference to Lipoptena fortisetosa (Diptera: Hippoboscidae)

Antennal Morphology and Fine Structure of Flagellar Sensilla in Hippoboscid Flies with Special Reference to Lipoptena fortisetosa (Diptera: Hippoboscidae)

Long horns protect Hestina japonica butterfly larvae from their natural enemies

Long Frontal Projections Help Battus philenor (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) Larvae Find Host Plants

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