Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Distribution and specific central projections of mechanoreceptors in the thorax and proximal leg joints of locusts

II. The external mechanoreceptors: Hair plates and tactile hairs

  • Published:
Cell and Tissue Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Tactile hairs on the locust thorax can be divided into two classes by their external morphology and their central projection pattern: Short hairs, 10–100 μm in length, which are assembled in distinct plates and rows, and long hairs, 100–800 μm in length, which are distributed all over the body and are organized in large fields or aligned along the ridges of the appendages.

The sensory fibers of the first class arborize in the lateral dorsal neuropile of thoracic ganglia and then extend further into the ipsilateral half of the corresponding ganglion in three main bundles from which fine rami of fibers end in the intermediate neuropile. In all three thoracic ganglia the projection pattern of homologous hair plates is similar.

The sensory fibers of the second class exclusively terminate in special median ventral neuropiles, the ventral association center (VAC) and ventralmost ventral association center (VVAC). In addition fibers from meso- and metathoracic hairs, located close to the longitudinal midline of the animal, may terminate in the contralateral VAC and with one branch project to the next anterior ganglion through the ipsilateral connective. In contrast, fibers from prothoracic hairs were not found to leave their ganglion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altman JS, Kien J (1979) Suboesophageal neurons involved in head movements and feeding in locusts. Proc Roy Soc Lond B 205:209–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacon JP, Altman JS (1977) A silver intensification method for cobalt filled neurones in wholemount preparations. Brain Res 138:359–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacon JP, Tyrer M (1979a) The innervation of the wind-sensitive head hairs of the locust, Schistocerca gregaria. Physiological Entomology 4:301–309

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacon JP, Tyrer M (1979b) Wind interneurone input to flight motor neurones in the locust, Schistocerca gregaria. Naturwissenschaften 66:116

    Google Scholar 

  • Bässler U (1965) Proprioreceptoren am Subcoxal- und Femur-Tibia-Gelenk der Stabheuschrecke Carausius morosus und ihre Rolle bei der Wahrnehmung der Schwerkraftrichtung. Kybernetik 2:168–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Bässler U (1977) Sensory control of leg movements in the stick insect, Carausius morosus. Biol Cybernetics 25:61–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Bräunig P, Hustert R, Pflüger HJ (1980) Distribution and specific central projections of mechanoreceptors in locust thorax and proximal leg joints. I. Morphology, location and innervation of internal proprioceptors of pro-and metathorax and their central projections. Cell Tissue Res 216:57–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Burrows M, Hoyle G (1973) Neural mechanisms underlying behavior in the locust Schistocerca gregaria. J Neurobiol 4:167–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Dethier VG (1963) The physiology of insect senses. London: Methuen

    Google Scholar 

  • Eibl E, Huber F (1979) Central projections of tibial sensory fibers within the three thoracic ganglia of crickets (Gryllus campestris L, Gryllus bimaculatus de Geer). Zoomorphologie 92:1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • French AS, Wong RKS (1976) The responses of trochanteral hair plate sensilla in the cockroach to periodic and random displacements. Biol Cybernetics 22:33–38

    Google Scholar 

  • French AS, Wong RKS (1977) Nonlinear analysis of sensory transduction in an insect mechanoreceptor. Biol Cybernetics 26:231–240

    Google Scholar 

  • French AS, Sanders EJ (1979) The mechanism of sensory transduction in the sensilla of the trochanteral hair plate of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana. Cell Tissue Res 198:159–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaffal KP, Tichy H, Theiss J, Seelinger G (1975) Structural polarities in mechanosensitive sensilla and their influence on stimulus transmission (Arthropoda). Zoomorphologie 82:79–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory G (1974) Neuroanatomy of the mesothoracic ganglion of the cockroach Periplaneta americana (L.) I. The roots of the peripheral nerves. Phil Trans Roy Lond B 267:421–465

    Google Scholar 

  • Honegger HW (1977) Interommatidial hair receptor axons extending into the ventral nerve cord in the cricket, Gryllus campestris. Cell Tissue Res 182:281–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Hustert R (1978) Segmental and interganglionic projections from primary fibres of insect mechanoreceptors. Cell Tissue Res 194:337–351

    Google Scholar 

  • Knyazewa NI (1969) The locust leg receptors participating in the reflex of initiation of flight (Locusta migratoria L.). Trudy vsesojuznogo entomolgiceskogo obscestva Moskau 53:132–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu YS, Leo PL (1960) I listological studies on the sense organs and the appendages of the oriental migratory locust, Locusta migratoria manilensis MEYEN. Acta Entomol Sinica 10: (no 3) 243–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Lombarde L (1974) On the presence of two coxal sense organs in pterygote insects. Monitore Zoologico Italiano 7:243–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Markl H (1962) Borstenfelder an den Gelenken als Schweresinnesorgane bei Ameisen und anderen Hymenopteren. Z vergl Physiol 45:475–569

    Google Scholar 

  • Palka J, Levine R, Schubiger M (1977) The cercus-to-giant interneurone system of crickets. I. Some attributes of the sensory cells. J Comp Physiol 119:267–283

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearson KG, Wong RKS, Fourtner CR (1976) Connexions between hair plate afferents and motoneurones in the cockroach leg. J Exp Biol 64:251–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Pflüger HJ (1980a) The function of hair sensilla on the locust's leg: The role of tibial hairs. J Exp Biol 87:163–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Pflüger HJ (1980b) Central nervous projections of sternal trichoid sensilla in locusts. Naturwissenschaften 67:316–317

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitman RH, Tweedle CD, Cohen MJ (1972) Branching of central neurons: intracellular cobalt injection for light and electron microscopy. Science 176:412–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Plotnikova SI (1979) Strukturelle Organisation des zentralen Nervensystems von Insekten. Nauka Leningrad (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pringle JWS (1938) Proprioception in insects. III. The function of the hair sensilla at the joints. J Exp Biol 15:467–473

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowell CHF (1961) The structure and function of the prothoracic spine of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria Forskål. J Exp Biol 38:457–469

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowell CHF (1969) The control of reflex responsiveness and the integration of behaviour. In: Treherne JE, Beament JWL (eds) The physiology of the insect central nervous system. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Runion HI, Usherwood PNR (1968) Tarsal receptors and leg reflexes in the locust and grasshopper. J Exp Biol 49:421–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider D, Kaissling KE (1957) Der Bau der Antenne des Seidenspinners Bombyx mori L. II. Sensillen, cuticuläre Bindungen und innerer Bau. Zool Jb Abt Anat u Ontog 76:223–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegler MVS, Burrows M (1979) The morphology of local nonspiking interneurons in the metathoracic ganglion of the locust. J Comp Neurol 183:121–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Strausfeld NJ, Obermayer M (1976) Resolution of intraneuronal and transsynaptic migration of cobalt in the insect visual and central nervous systems. J Comp Physiol 111:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Tatar G (1976) Mechanische Sinnesorgane an den Beinen der Stabheuschrecke. Diplomarbeit Universität Köln (Zoolog Inst Tierphysiologie)

  • Thurm U (1963) Die Beziehungen zwischen mechanischen Reizgrößen und stationären Erregungszuständen bei Borstenfeld-Sensillen von Bienen. Z vergl. Physiol 46:351–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Thurm U (1964) Mechanoreceptors in the cuticle of the honey bee: fine structure and stimulus mechanism. Science 145:1063–1065

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyrer NM, Altman JS (1974) Motor and sensory flight neurones in a locust demonstrated using cobalt chloride. J Comp Neurol 157:117–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyrer NM, Bacon JP, Davies CA (1979) Sensory projection from the wind-sensitive head hairs of the locust Schistocerca gregaria. I. Distribution in the central nervous system. Cell Tissue Res 203:79–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Wendler G (1964) Laufen und Stehen der Stabheuschrecke Carausius morosus: Sinnesborstenfelder in den Beingelenken als Glieder von Regelkreisen. Z vergl Physiol 48:198–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson JA (1979) The structure and function of serially homologous leg motor neurones in the locust. I. Anatomy. J Neurobiol 10:41–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong RKS, Pearson KG (1976) Properties of the trochanteral hair plate and its function in the control of walking. J Exp Biol 64:233–249

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fakultät für Biologie, Universität Konstanz, Postfach 5560, D-7750, Konstanz, Germany

    H. J. Pflüger, P. Bräunig & R. Hustert

Authors
  1. H. J. Pflüger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. Bräunig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Hustert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

With support by the DFG “Neurale Mechanismen des Verhaltens”

Some of the studies were started at Universität Bielefeld, Fakultät für Biologie II (Abtlg. Prof. Dr. P. Görner)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pflüger, H.J., Bräunig, P. & Hustert, R. Distribution and specific central projections of mechanoreceptors in the thorax and proximal leg joints of locusts. Cell Tissue Res. 216, 79–96 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234546

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234546

Key words

Search

Navigation