EXTERNAL PROPRIOCEPTORS ON THE LEGS OF INSECTS OF HIGHER ORDERS

The distribution of 2 types of proprioceptors, - hair plates and campa niform sensilla groups - on the mesothoracic legs of representatives o f higher orders of insects: Cassida viridis L. (Coleoptera), Pieris br assicae L. (Lepidoptera), Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera), an d Vespa crabro L. (Hymenoptera) is described. The largest numbers of p roprioceptors occur on proximal segments: coxa and trochanter, althoug h these numbers vary among the representatives of different orders. Co mparison of the numbers and topography of proprioceptors confirms the close or more distant systematic affinity of insect orders.