Topographic Organization of the Pectine Neuropils in Scorpions

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XI

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Denise Drozd

   Pages 1-8

3. Material and methods

   • Denise Drozd

   Pages 9-12

4. Results

   • Denise Drozd

   Pages 13-24

5. Discussion

   • Denise Drozd

   Pages 25-32

6. Conclusion

   • Denise Drozd

   Pages 33-34

7. Back Matter

   Pages 35-47

   PDF

Chelicerates do not possess dedicated antennae like the Mandibulata but have evolved their second sets of appendages into the eponymous chelicerae. In scorpions, pectines are specialized comb-like structures, located on the ninth body segment, used for examining the substrate for chemo- and mechanosensory signals. The comb teeth, or pegs, are truncated beveled structures facing the substrate for probing, and are studded with numerous sensory receptors. Afferents from the pectines project into a distinct neuropil of the central nervous system, located behind the fourth walking leg neuropils. Denise Drozd analyzes afferents of single pegs in Mesobuthus eupeus by backfilling, combined with immunohistological labeling of neuropil regions. Her results suggest a topographic representation of the chemosensory fibers within the pectine neuropil instead of the typical chemotopic representation.

• Nervous System of Scorpions
• Pectines
• Central Nervous System
• Chemosensory System
• Chemosensory Afferents
• Backfill
• Immunohistological Labeling
• Organization of the Pectine Neuropils
• Pectine Neuropils in Scorpions
• Biological Microscopy

• Institute of Neurobiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany

  Denise Drozd

Denise Drozd is a PhD candidate of Prof. Dr. Harald Wolf at the Institute of Neurobiology at Ulm University, Germany. 

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