Larval antennal sensilla in water-living insects

Abstract

An overview of larval antennal sensilla in hemimetabolous and holometabolous water-living insects is given by updating current knowledge on the fine structure of these sensory systems. In the absence of successful electrophysiological studies, the possible function of sensilla is deduced from their architecture. Various kinds of sensilla are described in hemimetabolous insects, such as Ephemeroptera, Odonata, and Plecoptera, and holometabolous insects, such as Diptera Nematocera (Culicidae, Simuliidae, Psychodidae, Chaoboridae) and Trichoptera. Their possible function in responding to stimuli from the freshwater environment is illustrated and discussed. The importance of sensilla as taxonomic and phylogenetic traits is reported in Baetidae (Ephemeroptera) and in Diptera Nematocera. Some homologies outlined in Diptera Nematocera give evidence of a link between species, such as Chaoboridae and Psychodidae, whose antennae are highly modified, prehensile in the former and very reduced in the latter. Particular features, such as cuticle without pores in chemosensory sensilla and naked perikarya, are so far found exclusively in some water-living arthropods, thus reflecting a possible adaptation to the aquatic habitat. The structure of sensilla and chloride cells, which have a similar external morphology, is presented and discussed in various insect groups, considering the possible derivation of the chloride cells from sensilla.