Summary
In the cricket,Gryllus bimaculatus, compensatory head movements are elicited by cereal and antennal receptors when the animals are rotated around their longitudinal axis. The cereal afferences originate in the club-shaped sensilla, whereas the antennal ones probably arise in receptors measuring displacements of the flagellum at the joint between scapus and pedicellus. The clubshaped cereal sensilla are true gravity receptors different from the proprioceptive gravity receptor systems characteristic of most insects.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bässler U (1971) Zur Bedeutung der Antennen für die Wahrnehmung der Schwerkraftrichtung bei der StabheuschreckeCarausius morosus. Kybernetik 9:31–34
Bischof H-J (1974) Verteilung und Bewegungsweise der keulenförmigen Sensillen vonGryllus bimaculatus Deg. Biol Zentralbl 93:449–457
Bischof H-J (1975) Die keulenförmigen Sensillen auf den Cerci der GrilleGryllus bimaculatus als Schwererezeptoren. J Comp Physiol 98:277–288
Hartman HB, Walthall WW, Bennet LP, Stewards RR (1979) Giant interneurones mediating equilibrium reception in an insect. Science 205:503–505
Honegger H-W (1981) A preliminary note on a new optomotor response in crickets: antennal tracking of moving targets. J Comp Physiol 142:419–421
Horn E (1982) Gravity reception in the walking fly,Calliphora erythrocephala: tonic and modulatory influences of leg afferents on the head position. J Insect Physiol 28:713–721
Horn E (1983) Gravity. In: Kerkut GA, Gilbert LJ (eds) Comprehensive insect physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology, vol 6. Pergamon Press, Oxford New York Paris Frankfurt Toronto Sidney (in press)
Horn E, Kessler W (1975) The control of antennae lift movements and its importance on the gravity reception in the walking blowfly,Calliphora erythrocephala. J Comp Physiol 97:189–203
Horn E, Lang H-G (1978) Positional head reflexes and the role of the prosternal organ in the walking fly,Calliphora erythrocephala. J Comp Physiol 126:137–146
Jander R, Horn E, Hoffmann M (1970) Die Bedeutung des Körpergewichtes für die Geotaxis der höheren Insekten (Pterygota). Z Vergl Physiol 66:326–342
Markl H (1962) Borstenfelder an den Gelenken als Schweresinnesorgane bei Ameisen und anderen Hymenopteren. Z Vergl Physiol 45:475–569
Nicklaus R (1968) Zur Funktion der keulenförmigen Sensillen auf den Cerci der Grillen. Verh Dtsch Zool Ges Innsbruck, Zool Anz (Suppl) 32:393–398
Sachs L (1974) Angewandte Statistik. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Schildberger K (1981) Some physiological features of mushroom-body linked fibres in the house cricket brain. Naturwissenschaften 68:623–624
Wendler G (1965) Über den Anteil der Antennen an der Schwererezeption der StabheuschreckeCarausius morosus Br. Z Vergl Physiol 51:60–66
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Ho 664/8, 9
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Horn, E., Bischof, HJ. Gravity reception in crickets: The influence of cereal and antennal afferences on the head position. J. Comp. Physiol. 150, 93–98 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605292
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605292