Antennal sensilla of the ground beetle Platynus dorsalis (Pontoppidan, 1763) (Coleoptera, carabidae)

Abstract

The typology, number, and distribution pattern of antennal sensilla of the ground beetle Platynus dorsalis (Pontoppidan) (Coleoptera, Carabidae) were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The 4.3-4.6-mm-long filiform antennae of the beetles consist of the scape, pedicel, and nine flagellomeres. In both sexes, four subtypes of sensilla chaetica, five subtypes of sensilla basiconica, sensilla trichodea, two subtypes of sensilla campaniformia, sensilla auricillica, and sensilla coeloconica were distinguished. The possible function of the sensilla was discussed and three types of sensilla were considered as olfactory, sensilla trichodea and sensilla basiconica types 1 and 2. Olfactory sensilla form two separate, dorsal and ventral, fields of sensilla on the flagellomeres, which seems to be common in ground beetles. The total numbers of olfactory trichoid (approximately 1,000 hairs) and basiconic sensilla type 1 (1,700-1,800 pegs) on the antennae of P. dorsalis are 5-7 times higher than on the antennae of the ground beetle Bembidion lampros, suggesting that nocturnally active P. dorsalis is much more sensitive to odours perceived by these sensilla than B. lampros with diurnal activity and hunting predominantly by sight. No remarkable sexual differences in the types, numbers, and distribution of antennal sensilla were found in P. dorsalis.

Antennal morphology of the endogean carabid genus typhlocharis (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Anillini): Description of sensilla and taxonomic implications

“…The sensilla found in Typhlocharis are similar to those described for other Carabidae (Daly and Ryan,1979; Kim and Yamakasi,1996; Merivee et al,2000,2001,2002, Giglio et al,2008). Ploomi et al (2003) summarize the data given by Merivee et al (2000,2001,2002) providing a comparative basis between the antennal sensilla of three carabids, including two Trechinae. The data obtained in Typhlocharis is compared to the nomenclature of setae described in this work: St1 resemble sensilla chaetica type 2 as defined by Ploomi et al (2003).…”

“…Antennal morphology, with reference to the different types and location of sensilla in each antennomere, has been studied and described in several species of Carabidae (e.g., Daly and Ryan,1979; Kim and Yamakasi,1996; Merivee et al,2001; Giglio et al,2008), including some Trechinae (Juberthie and Massoud,1977,1980; Merivee et al,2000,2002) and Anillini (Ortuño and Sendra,2007,2010). The information given by these works indicates that antennae are potentially useful structures as taxonomic tools.…”

Responses of the antennal bimodal hygroreceptor neurons to innocuous and noxious high temperatures in the carabid beetle, Pterostichus oblongopunctatus

“…As a eurytopic forest species with a palaearctic distribution, the adults are more or less euryhygric to dry-preferring (Lindroth, 1986 In carabid beetles, the sensory neurons responsible for detection of ambient temperature are located on the surface of the antennae within dome-shaped or campaniform sensilla. These sensilla occur pairwise on the ventral surface of all nine flagellomeres, and in addition, 5-6 of them lie at the distal margin of the terminal flagellomere (Merivee et al, 2000(Merivee et al, , 2001(Merivee et al, , 2002. Both outer and inner structure of the dome-shaped sensilla has been described in the myrmecophilous carabid beetle Paussus favieri (Di Giulio et al, 2012).…”

The role of microhabitat and food availability in determining riparian invertebrate distributions on gravel bars: a habitat manipulation experiment

“…Several thousand sensilla in the form of hairs, pegs, pits and cones allow ground beetles to respond sensitively to a great variety of mechanical, olfactory and taste stimuli (Merivee et al, 2000(Merivee et al, , 2001. Ground beetle species use olfactory clues emitted in slug mucus to detect prey in agricultural land and often aggregate in areas of high slug numbers (McKemey et al, 2004).…”

“…The antennae of ground beetles are well equipped with thermo-and hygro-receptors (Kim and Yamasaki, 1996). This enables rapid reaction to environmental cues, allowing them to avoid temperature and humidity extremes, and to find and stay in thermally favourable areas (Merivee et al, 2001). For specialist ERS beetles, this allows them to move ahead of rising water levels and avoid immersion (Andersen, 1968).…”