How do Caterpillars Detect Vibration? Proleg Sensory Hairs as Vibration Receptors in Drepana Arcuata (Drepanidae) and Trichoplusia ni (Noctuidae)

It appears your Web browser is not configured to display PDF files. Download adobe Acrobat or click here to download the PDF file.

Click here to download the PDF file.

Creator: 

Rosi Denadai, Conrado Augusto

Date: 

2018

Abstract: 

It is known that substrate-borne vibrations are detected by insects from multiple taxa and life stages, including adults and larvae. Therefore, in this thesis I aimed to answer the question "How do caterpillars detect vibration?". For this purpose, I made neurophysiological experiments on proleg hairs of Drepana arcuata and Trichoplusia ni caterpillars. In these experiments, two types of mechanical stimuli were applied to the proleg hair: 1) sine vibrational signals with varying frequencies and 2) single push/pull stimuli. Amplitudes of stimuli ranged from sub- to supra-threshold and stimuli were applied in multiple directions to test for sensory directionality. With this, I showed that the sensory activity of the hair can be characterized as a rapid adapting response, that it has directional sensitivity and presents some phase-locking. In conclusion, the sensory hairs here evaluated can respond to vibration, which leaves them as potential candidates for substrate-borne vibration receptors in these caterpillars.

Subject: 

Animal Physiology

Language: 

English

Publisher: 

Carleton University

Thesis Degree Name: 

Master of Science: 
M.Sc.

Thesis Degree Level: 

Master's

Thesis Degree Discipline: 

Biology

Parent Collection: 

Theses and Dissertations

Items in CURVE are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. They are made available with permission from the author(s).