Olfaction in the female sheep botfly |
| |
Authors: | Simone Poddighe Teun Dekker Antonio Scala Anna Maria Angioy |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Experimental Biology, University of Cagliari, I 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy;(2) Department of Crop Science, Division of Chemical Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 102, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden;(3) Department of Animal Biology, Section of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy |
| |
Abstract: | The nasal botfly Oestrus ovis (Diptera, Cyclorrhapha: Oestridae) is a myiasis-causing insect species, which affects the health of sheep, goats and humans.
Gravid females are viviparous and larviposit into the animal’s nostrils. Host-searching and larvipositing flies are visually
guided and influenced by climatic conditions, whereas olfaction seemed to play no role in this process. However, here, we
show that the antennae of adult O. ovis female flies are relatively small but well developed and inhabited by several types of olfactory sensilla. Further, we show
that the antennal lobes of this species receive input from antennal afferents and consist of a clearly defined glomerular
organisation. We also give the first evidence of the fly’s ability to detect several synthetic odour compounds. Our findings
provide a morpho-functional basis for future investigations on olfactory-mediated behaviour of this insect pest. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|