Summary
Gustatory chemoreceptors on the maxillae ofManduca sexta responded to natural stimuli from distances of up to 600 μm (average is 100 μm). In the lateral sensilla styloconica, at least three of the four known chemoreceptive cells responded, indicating that different compounds could be involved in the stimulus. The medial sensilla did not show a comparable olfactory capability. Thus, chemoreceptors classed as contact receptors on a morphological basis (thick walls, single apical pore) were responsive to vapors of normal food substances. Adaptation of the receptor was observed prior to contact with the stimulus. This has important implications for experiments on gustatory receptors.
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The authors thank Dr. J. N. Kaplanis (USDA, Beltsville) and his assistants for supplying eggs ofManduca sexta and Mrs. Patti Filip for help with rearing the larvae. We are indebted to Dr. V. G. Dethier (Princeton University, USA) and Dr. L. M. Schoonhoven (Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands) for their critical review of the manuscript and to Mr. George Johnson (UMBC) for electronics assistance and other technical suggestions. This research was supported by U.S.P.H.S. Grant No. NS-10760 to F.H. and a postdoctoral fellowship of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich to E.S.
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Städler, E., Hanson, F.E. Olfactory capabilities of the “gustatory” chemoreceptors of the tobacco hornworm larvae. J. Comp. Physiol. 104, 97–102 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01379454
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01379454