OLFACTORY SENSILLA IN CRUSTACEANS - MORPHOLOGY, SEXUAL DIMORPHISM, AND DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS

The morphological variation of crustacean olfactory sensilla is consid erable, and appears to comprise both aesthetascs and male-specific sen silla. Male-specific sensilla have hitherto been described in some non -decapod groups, whereas the sexual dimorphism of the olfactory system of decapods is usually less prominent morphologically. The decapods u sually have a larger number of sensory cells per aesthetasc sensillum than non-decapods. The aesthetascs and male-specific sensilla are arra nged in arrays of varying density. Differences in the arrangement of s ensilla probably reflect diverse stimulus acquisition behaviour. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.