12 Chilopoda – Sense organs

The triangular compound eye of adult Scutigera coleoptrata usually contains about 150 ommatidia. Pentagonally shaped facets are found at the margins of the eye. The lateral ocelli in the Pleurostigmophora are located on the frontolateral margins of the head capsule, directly behind the antennae. Epidermal sensilla are sensory setae, consisting of two structural components: the sensory cells with their dendritic processes and several sheath cells, more or less interspersed into the hair shaft. Proprioreceptive sensory cells are often constant in number and show equal distribution patterns on their target structures. Besides the Chilopoda, Tomosvary organs are found in all remaining subgroups of the Myriapoda as well as in Protura and Collembola. The dendritic processes emanating from each sensory cell are divided into three compartments according to the 1) distance to the soma, 2) the occurrence of ciliary structures and 3) the extension of the inner receptor lymph cavities. Keywords:chilopoda; epidermal sensilla; lateral ocelli; lymph cavities; myriapod; pleurostigmophora; S. coleoptrata