P3.145  Friday, Jan. 6  Inventory and Distribution of Sensory Organs on the Antennae of the House Cricket, Acheta domesticus (L.) CHARLES, Curtisha*; BELTON, Sheena; SHIELDS, Vonnie; Towson University; Baltimore City Community College; Towson University vshields@towson.edu

House crickets, Acheta domesticus (L.), are serious pests of stored grain. They have paired antennae that bear many sensory organs (sensilla). These sensilla allow them to gain information about olfactory, gustatory, and mechanosensory cues pertaining to their environment. There are approximately 200 segments comprising each antenna. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that each antenna bears nine sensillum types. Five of these types bear external morphological features suggestive of olfactory sensilla: two types resemble short to medium-sized pegs (basiconic sensilla) with cuticular shafts perforated by multiple pores; two types resemble very short pegs recessed in deep pits (coeloconic sensilla), and the last type resembles a small cone-shaped basiconic sensillum with longitudinal ridges. Three other sensillum types have external features suggestive of mechanosensory sensilla: two types resemble long hairs (trichoid sensilla) with cuticular shafts that lack pores and bear diagonal ridges, while the other type resembles a small circular depression on the antennal surface. The antenna also bears one sensillum type with external features suggestive of gustatory sensilla. This type resembles a medium-sized basiconic sensillum with a single terminal pore and cuticular ridges that form a circular pattern.