Antennal sensilla of grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in relation to food preferences and habits
Hu-Hai Chen Yun-Xian Zhao Le Kang
Click here to view fulltext PDF
Permanent link:
https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/jbsc/028/06/0743-0752
The external structure, i.e. number and distribution of sensillae on male and female antennae of 12 species of grasshoppers belonging to Pamphaginae, Catantopinae, Oedipodinae and Gomphocerinae in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Five major types of antennal sensillae were detected - trichoid, long basiconic, short basiconic, slender and short basiconic, and coeloconic sensillae. Total number of antennal sensillae varied among different sexes, subfamilies, feeding groups, life forms and eco-forms. Males showed significantly more sensillae than females, due to presence of more short basiconic and coeloconic sensillae. Species under Catantopinae showed more long basiconic sensillae than the others. The Oedipodinae had the highest number of slender and short basiconic sensillae and coeloconic sensillae, followed by Catantopinae and Gomphocerinae; while Pamphaginae had the fewest. The total number of sensillae showed the same trend for these two types amongst the subfamilies as well, species which prefer habits on the ground possessed fewer antennal sensillae than species which prefer to stay on plants. The maximal number of antennal sensillae were observed in hygrophytous species,Chorthippus albomarginatus, in the 12 grasshopper species investigated, although the data is not statistically significant. The general trend which emerged was that species feeding on grass possessed more antennal sensillae, particularly coeloconic sensillae, compared to other feeding group species.
Hu-Hai Chen1 Yun-Xian Zhao1 Le Kang1
Volume 48, 2023
All articles
Continuous Article Publishing mode
Click here for Editorial Note on CAP Mode
© 2022-2023 Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru.