Podcast
Questions and Answers
For insects to exist, they ______ the realities of the environment.
For insects to exist, they ______ the realities of the environment.
must sense
Light is gathered in ______ lens or cornea.
Light is gathered in ______ lens or cornea.
ommatidium
The Light-receptor apparatus comprises – __ retinula cells which combine to produce a central light sensor (____).
The Light-receptor apparatus comprises – __ retinula cells which combine to produce a central light sensor (____).
6-8, rhabdom
RC turn light into _____ energy.
RC turn light into _____ energy.
Signup and view all the answers
When images are produced, it is called ______.
When images are produced, it is called ______.
Signup and view all the answers
Eyes are the most complex photoreceptor involved in forming images and are characterized by ______.
Eyes are the most complex photoreceptor involved in forming images and are characterized by ______.
Signup and view all the answers
What type of eyes are not found in primitively wingless insects?
What type of eyes are not found in primitively wingless insects?
Signup and view all the answers
All insects detect light through their eyes.
All insects detect light through their eyes.
Signup and view all the answers
In crickets, the tympanum is located on the _____.
In crickets, the tympanum is located on the _____.
Signup and view all the answers
What is the function of mechanoreceptors in insects?
What is the function of mechanoreceptors in insects?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Insect Senses
-
Perception: Insects must be able to sense their environment to survive. This is achieved through a variety of sense organs and integration of information by the nervous system.
-
Senses: Insects have several basic senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing and the ability to detect temperature and humidity.
Sight
-
Compound Eyes: The main visual organs of insects.
- Structure: Each compound eye is composed of multiple facets, also known as ommatidia.
- Function: Ommatidia detect light and form images. Each ommatidium provides a small piece of the overall mosaic image.
-
Simple Eyes (Ocelli):
- Structure: Simpler than compound eyes with a single corneal lens.
-
Two Classes:
- Dorsal Ocelli: Three arranged in a triangle on the head.
- Lateral Ocelli: Found on the sides of the head.
Smell (Olfaction) and Taste (Gustation)
-
Chemoreceptors: Specialized receptors for detecting chemical substances.
- Smell (Olfaction): Detect airborne chemical substances for navigation, finding food, and locating mates.
- Taste (Gustation): Located on mouthparts and elsewhere on the body, they detect chemicals on solid surfaces to identify food or potential dangers.
Touch
- Mechanoreceptors: Respond to mechanical stimulation, such as movement, vibration, and pressure
- Sen Silla: Specialized hair-like structures on the body that detect mechanical stimuli.
Hearing
-
Auditory Organs:
- Tympanum: A thin membrane in the insect's body that vibrates in response to sound waves.
- Chordotonal Organs: Specialized sensory organs containing scolopidia, which detect vibrations in the tympanum.
Interesting Facts
- The number of ommatidia in compound eyes varies significantly between insect species. For example, dragonflies have over 20,000, while certain ants have less than a dozen.
- Insects without eyes detect light through their cuticle.
- The tympanum is located on different body parts in different insects, such as the first abdominal segment in grasshoppers, the tibiae of crickets, and the abdomen or metathorax of moths.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
