Sense organs on the antennal flagella of earwigs (Dermaptera) with special reference to those of Forficula auricularia

Five types of sense organs have been found on the antennal flagellum of Forficula auricularia Linnaeus: (1) tactile hairs; (2) long, thick-walled chemoreceptors; (3) short, thick-walled chemoreceptors; (4) thin-walled chemoreceptors and (5) coeloconic chemoreceptors. Earlier workers have placed the first three of these in a single class. The structural characteristics and distribution of these five kinds of sensilla on the antenna are described. All of the types except the third have been reported previously for other species but short, thick-walled chemoreceptors have not been described before. They are remarkable for the presence of (1) a broad pad-Like structure that absorbs dyes readily at the distal end of the peg and (2) a spheroid body, over a micron in diameter, on the dendrite of each olfactory neuron at the point where it narrows to assume the structure of a cilium. The antennal sense organs of a few specimens of Chelisoches morio (Fabricius), Labidura riparia (Pallas) and Euborellia annulipes (Lucas) were also examined.     

Sense organs on the antennal flagellum of two species of embioptera (Insecta)

Five different kinds of sense organs have been identified on the antennal flagellum of males of Ptilocerembia sp: (1) tactile hairs, (2) thick-walled chemoreceptors, (3) chemoreceptors with thick walls and many pores, (4) thin-walled chemoreceptors and (5) campaniform sense organs. The third type has not been reported previously for other species of insects and combines the characteristics of typical thick-walled and thin-walled chemoreceptors. The campaniform sense organs are situated in sets of three, 120° apart, on the periphery of the distal end of nearly every subsegment. They lie at the transition zone where the thicker cuticle of the subsegment changes to the thin membrane between subsegments.     

Sense organs on the antennal flagellum of a giant cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa, and a comparison with those of several other species (Dictyoptera, Blattaria)

Two kinds of tactile hairs, plain and wavy, thick-walled chemoreceptors and two types of thin-walled chemoreceptors are present on the antennal flagellum of Gromphadorhina portentosa males. These are described and their location on the antenna noted. Females of this species have plain tactile hairs and the same types of chemoreceptors as do the males but wavy tactile hairs are absent. The antennal sense organs of a few specimens of five other species of cockroaches — Periplaneta americana, Blatta orientalis, Supella longipalpa, Pycnoscelus surinamensis and Diploptera punctata — were also examined. All lacked tactile hairs but were provided with thick-walled chemoreceptors and with two types of thin-walled chemoreceptors similar to those described for Gromphadorhina portentosa.     

Sense organs on the antennal flagellum of the mimosa webworm,Homadaula anisocentra (Lepidoptera,Glyphipterygidae)

Five different types of sense organs were found on the antennal flagellum of Homadaula anisocentra. These were (1) tactile hairs; (2) thick-walled chemoreceptors; (3) thin-walled chemoreceptors of several kinds; (4) styloconic chemoreceptors and (5) small chemoreceptor pegs in shallow depressions. No coeloconic sense organs were seen.     

The nature and development of sex attractant specificity in cockroaches of the genus Periplaneta. I. Sexual dimorphism in the distribution of antennal sense organs in five species

Sexual dimorphism in the distribution of antennal sense organs is common among adults of the genus Periplaneta. In three out of the four strains of Periplaneta americana examined, adult males had more contact chemoreceptors than females. In the fourth strain of P. americana and in P. australasiae, P. brunnea, P. fuliginosa, and P. japonica, no statistically supportable sexual dimorphism of contact chemoreceptors was found. However, in all strains and species of Periplaneta examined, sexual dimorphism was found in the total number and/or density of olfactory sensilla. Male adults had nearly twice as many olfactory sensilla as female adults. These observations are consistent with the behavioral observation that males within the genus Periplaneta rely on the reception of an airborne pheromone for the initiation of courtship behavior. In P. americana, where sexual dimorphism was found in the contact chemoreceptors, contact stimuli release the full wing raising display and presentation in males during courtship.     

External morphology of antennae and their sense organs in the roach Gromphadorhina brunneri (Blattoidea: Dictyoptera)

The antennae and their sense organs in nymphs and adult roaches of Gromphadorhina brunneri, were investigated and described. The number of segments and sensillae of the nymphal antennae depend on the developmental stage. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced. Males have longer antennae than females as well as an abundance of especially long sensory hairs (long wavy hairs), which are probably responsible for the perception of female sex pheromones. They also have more thin-walled sensory hairs, for instance, sensilla trichodea. On a morphological basis the sensillae of Gromphadorhina brunneri, were named and classified. Long wavy hairs and large sensory hairs appear to be present also in a related species, G. portentosa, but are lacking in others. Their distribution on the antennae varies greatly from that in G. portentosa but their structure varies only slightly. These two types of sense organs are considered to be specialized forms of sensilla chaetica. They are contact chemoreceptors, as are two other types of sensilla chaetica. Furthermore, thin-walled chemoreceptors are present, such as sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica, sensilla coeloconica and a typical mechanoreceptor, the sensillum campaniformium.     

Sense Organs of Two Marine Arthrotardigrades (Heterotardigrada,Tardigrada)

The sense organs of the marine arthrotardigrades Halechiniscus greveni Renaud-Mornant & Deroux and Batillipes noerrevangi Kristensen were investigated with the aid of interference phase-contrast and transmission electron microscopy. The sense organs of the two species are quite different in outer cuticular morphology, but the inner cellular parts are constructed after the same model: the arthropod sensory setae. All investigated sensilla contained ciliary structures. Regeneration of the cirri during moult is very similar to the regeneration process in insects and spiders, but in the two arthrotardigrades the trichogen cell is not retracted from the cuticular part of the setae after moult. The clava is presumed to be olfactory; the cephalic cirri and the leg spines are contact chemoreceptors with one mechanoreceptive cilium terminating at the sensillum shaft. Cirrus E is compared with the trichobothrium of arthropods and the phylogenetic implications of the investigated structures are discussed.     

Sensilla on the antennal flagellum of the sawyer beetles Monochamus notatus (Drury) and Monochamus scutellatus (Say) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

The antennae of the sawyer beetles Monochamus notatus and M. scutellatus were examined with the light and scanning electron microscopes to determine the types, number, distribution and innervation of the sense organs. Nine types of sensilla are described. Both short, thin-walled pegs (sensilla basiconica) and reversely curved thick-walled hairs (sensilla trichodea) are chemoreceptors. There are three types of long, thick-walled hairs (sensilla chaetica) which may be mechanoreceptors. One of these is modified in males to form unique snail-shaped pegs. A few dome-shaped organs, probably campaniform sensilla, were found. In addition to sense organs, many glands occur in association with the sensilla, and the antennae are well supplied with dermal glands connected by canals to small pores on the surface.     

Sense organs of a thysanuran, Ctenolepisma lineata pilifera, with special reference to those on the antennal flagellum (Thysanura, Lepismatidae)

Six types of sense organs are present on the antennal flagellum of Ctenolepisma lineata pilifera: tactile hairs, trichobothria, thick-walled chemoreceptors, small thin-walled chemoreceptors and coeloconic chemoreceptors. The number, size and distribution on the antenna of each type have been recorded. The base of the tactile hair is more complex than is that of other insects examined earlier. Trichobothria, long, slender hairs that oscillate in a gentle puff of air, are an unusal feature in insects and especially so for the antenna. The two types of thin-walled chemoreceptors differ in shape, size and in the structure of their walls and internal parts. A pocket-like depression of the floor of the cavity in which the peg of the coeloconic sense organ is set has not been found in earlier studies. Its function is unknown. The axons from the sensory neurons extend along the inner surface of the antennal epidermis as a sheet of fibers lining the antennal lumen. Near the pedicel the axons leave the epidermis and join to form the antennal nerve. A few observations on sense organs on appendages other than the antennae and some notes on behavior are included.     

Bacterial chemoreceptors of different length classes signal independently

Bacterial chemoreceptors sense environmental stimuli and govern cell movement by transmitting the information to the flagellar motors. The highly conserved cytoplasmic domain of chemoreceptors consists in an alpha‐helical hairpin that forms in the homodimer a coiled‐coil four‐helix bundle. Several classes of chemoreceptors that differ in the length of the coiled‐coil structure were characterized. Many bacterial species code for chemoreceptors that belong to different classes, but how these receptors are organized and function in the same cell remains an open question. E. coli cells normally code for single class chemoreceptors that form extended arrays based on trimers of dimers interconnected by the coupling protein CheW and the kinase CheA. This structure promotes effective coupling between the different receptors in the modulation of the kinase activity. In this work, we engineered functional derivatives of the Tsr chemoreceptor of E. coli that mimic receptors whose cytoplasmic domain is longer by two heptads. We found that these long Tsr receptors did not efficiently mix with the native receptors and appeared to function independently. Our results suggest that the assembly of membrane‐bound receptors of different specificities into mixed clusters is dictated by the length‐class to which the receptors belong, ensuring cooperative function only between receptors of the same class.     

The relationship between O2 chemoreceptors, cardio-respiratory reflex and hypoxia tolerance in the neotropical fish Hoplias lacerdae

The localization, distribution and orientation of O₂ chemoreceptors associated with the control of cardio-respiratory responses were investigated in the neotropical, Hoplias lacerdae. Selective denervation of the cranial nerves (IX and X) was combined with chemical stimulation (NaCN) to characterize the gill O₂ chemoreceptors, and the fish were then exposed to gradual hypoxia to examine the extent of each cardio-respiratory response. Changes in heart rate (f_H) and ventilation amplitude (V_amp) were allied with chemoreceptors distributed on both internal and external surfaces of all gill arches, while ventilation rate (f_R) was allied to the O₂ chemoreceptors located only in the internal surface of the first gill arch. H. lacerdae exposed to gradual hypoxia produced a marked bradycardia (45%) and 50% increase in V_amp, but only a relatively small change in f_R (32%). Thus, the low f_R response yet high V_amp were in accord with the characterization of the O₂ chemoreceptors. Comparing these results from H. lacerdae with hypoxia-tolerant species revealed a relationship existent between general oxygenation of the individual species environment, its cardio-respiratory response to hypoxia and the characterization of O₂ chemoreceptors.     

Study on foraging mechanism of leeches with different feeding habits based on chemoreception and foraging behavior

The leeches Whitmania pigra and Hirudo nipponia live in similar environments but have different feeding habits. At present, there are few studies of the foraging mechanism of leeches with different feeding habits. In this study, we first used maze tests to show that these two species of leeches could locate and distinguish their prey through chemosensory activity without mechanical stimulation. However, the two leech species have different foraging behaviors: Individuals of W. pigra move slowly and repeatedly adjust direction through probing and crawling to detect the location of prey (snails), whereas individuals of H. nipponia move quickly, and after determining the location of food (porcine blood), they quickly swim or crawl to the vicinity of their prey. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that there are two types of sensory cilia and pore structures related to mucus secretion in the heads of both leeches. There are two differently sized types of chemoreceptors on the dorsal lip in W. pigra, which may have different functions during foraging, whereas in H. nipponia there is only one type of chemoreceptor, which is small. We detected the chemical components in the natural food of these two leech species by UHPLC–MS. There were 934 metabolites in the body fluid of snails and 751 metabolites in porcine serum; five metabolites unique to the body fluid of snails and to porcine serum were screened as candidate feeding attractants. Of these metabolites, betaine and arginine effectively attracted individuals of W. pigra and H. nipponia, respectively. In summary, leeches with different feeding habits use chemoreceptors to sense external chemical signals when foraging, and there are significant differences between species in foraging behavior, chemoreceptors, and attractants.     

Rhythmic melatonin secretion in different teleost species: an in vitro study

The rhythmic production of melatonin is governed by intrapineal oscillators in all fish species so far investigated except the rainbow trout. To determine whether the latter represents an exception among fish, we measured in vitro melatonin secretion in pineal organs of nine wild freshwater and six marine teleost species cultured at constant temperature and under different photic conditions. The results demonstrate that pineal organs of all species maintain a rhythmic secretion of melatonin under light:dark cycles and complete darkness, and strongly suggest that most fish possess endogenous intrapineal oscillators driving the rhythm of melatonin production, with the exception of the rainbow trout.Abbreviations LD light:dark - DD dark:dark - NAT N-acetyltransferase - RIA radioimmunoassay     

Ensifer alkalisoli YIC4027趋化受体基因的比较及相关蛋白序列分析

[目的] 田菁共生根瘤菌Ensifer alkalisoli YIC4027是从宿主植物田菁的根瘤中分离出来的一株新型高效的固氮菌。本研究对E.alkalisoli的趋化受体基因与其他研究透彻的物种进行比较以及相关蛋白分析。[方法] 利用NCBI的BLAST对E.alkalisoli趋化受体基因进行序列相似性搜索。以Pfam数据库为基础,用HMMR3对甲基化趋化受体蛋白（MCP）进行比较分析。[结果] E.alkalisoli有2个趋化基因簇,共有13个MCP,含有不同的信号传感结构。此外,这些MCPs的胞质结构域除了一个是由40个七肽重复序列组成,其余都是由36个七肽重复序列组成。[结论] 尽管E.alkalisoli的趋化受体与已被广泛研究的物种的趋化受体具有较高的相似性,但仍显示出其特性。通过基因的比对以及相关蛋白的分析,我们能够更好地理解E.alkalisoli是如何通过趋化系统来响应外界变化的。     

夹竹桃科2种引种植物分泌结构的解剖学研究

为了解夹竹桃科(Apocynaceae)植物乳汁管的发生发育,对爱之蔓(Ceropegia woodii)和百万心(Dischidia ruscifolia)营养器官中的分泌结构进行了显微观察。结果表明,爱之蔓和百万心营养器官中均有无节分枝乳汁管的分布,茎皮层中的乳汁管大部分具有明显的分枝,叶中乳汁管具明显分枝,分布与走向多与叶脉维管组织平行。另外,爱之蔓营养器官中的分泌结构除乳汁管外,还有分泌腔。这为夹竹桃科植物的系统分类研究提供了解剖学依据。     

Sense organs on the antennae of two species of thrips (Thysanoptera, insecta)

The antennae of two species of thrips, Bagnalliella yuccae (Hinds) and Frankliniella tritici (Fitch), have been examined with the light and electron microscopes. The antennal flagellum of both species is provided with tactile hairs, thick-walled chemoreceptors and thin-walled chemoreceptors. In addition, B. yuccae, but not F. tritici, has a single coeloconic chemoreceptor on the dorsal surface of the pedicel. Observations were made on the fluids in the lumen of the antennae of E. yuccae in the living insect. The movement of the fluids probably has an important physiological significance.     

Three unrelated chemoreceptors provide Pectobacterium atrosepticum with a broad-spectrum amino acid sensing capability

Amino acids are important nutrients and also serve as signals for diverse signal transduction pathways. Bacteria use chemoreceptors to recognize amino acid attractants and to navigate their gradients. In Escherichia coli two likely paralogous chemoreceptors Tsr and Tar detect 9 amino acids, whereas in Pseudomonas aeruginosa the paralogous chemoreceptors PctA, PctB and PctC detect 18 amino acids. Here, we show that the phytobacterium Pectobacterium atrosepticum uses the three non-homologous chemoreceptors PacA, PacB and PacC to detect 19 proteinogenic and several non-proteinogenic amino acids. PacB recognizes 18 proteinogenic amino acids as well as 8 non-proteinogenic amino acids. PacB has a ligand preference for the three branched chain amino acids L-leucine, L-valine and L-isoleucine. PacA detects L-proline next to several quaternary amines. The third chemoreceptor, PacC, is an ortholog of E. coli Tsr and the only one of the 36 P. atrosepticum chemoreceptors that is encoded in the cluster of chemosensory pathway genes. Surprisingly, in contrast to Tsr, which primarily senses serine, PacC recognizes aspartate as the major chemoeffector but not serine. Our results demonstrate that bacteria use various strategies to sense a wide range of amino acids and that it takes more than one chemoreceptor to achieve this goal.     

The sensory innervation of the foregut of Panulirus argus (Decapoda Crustacea)† ‡

Ths structure of the stomatogastric neuromuscular system in Panulirus argus, Callinectes sapidus and Homarus americanus has recently been described (Maynard and Dando, 1973). We attempt here to describe the sensory innervation of the foregut in Panulirus argus and, by combining this information with previous published data and less systematic observations on Callinectes and Homarus, to provide in addition a summary of the stomatogastric sensory systems in these types of Decapoda Crustacea (Figure 1, Table I).

Some anatomical problems remain unresolved and there is variation in the structure of the sense organs in different species, but we are able to recognize six major receptor groups in all of the species examined. These are (i) mechanoreceptors which monitor movements of the lower oesophagus and mouth (Receptor reference Nos. 1, 2, 3); (ii) probable chemoreceptors in the higher oesophagus and ventral cardiac sac (Rf. Nos. 6, 9, 11); (iii) cells located in or near the stomatogastric ganglion which monitor movements of the gastric mill (Rf. No. 8); (iv) neurones of the posterior stomach nerve (Rf. No. 15) which monitor movements of the gastric mill; (v) neurones innervating muscles near the cardio‐pyloric valve (Rf. No. 16); (vi) neurones innervating the hepatopancreas duct and the initial part of the intestine (Rf. Nos. 18, 19).

In such a restricted system it should be possible to determine the precise role that the various sensory systems play in the control of the simple movements of the foregut. This research must necessarily involve the investigation, with intracellular techniques, of the central events in the commissural ganglia as these ganglia appear to be the major co‐ordination centres of the stomatogastric nervous system.     

Chemoreceptor sensillum structure in Limulus

The chemoreceptors of Limulus polyphemus (L.) are polyneuronal sensilla found in the spines of the coxal gnathobases of each walking leg, the spines of the chilarial appendages, and the chelae of all the limbs. Each sensillum contains 6–15 bipolar sensory cells that share a single pore in the cuticle. The dendrites of the sensory cells of each sensillum course to the cuticle together. These attenuate sharply and enter a canal in the cuticle as a very narrow terminal thread. The dendrites retain their identity in the thread, but with the light microscope, they are usually not visible individually. Each thread, consisting of 6–15 dendrites, is accompanied to the cuticular surface by a cuticular tubule found within the canal. The chemoreceptor sensilla of the gnathobase, chilarium, and chela, the temperature organs of Patten, and the flabellar receptor organs all have the same basic organization. In general this is the same structural plan shown by chemoreceptors of other arthropods. Several different mechanisms of peripheral physiological interaction among receptor cells are possible with a sensillum organization like that described here for Limulus.