Antennal Tuft Organs of Pediculus humanus Linn, and Phthirus pubis (Linn.) ( Anoplura : Pediculidae )
1969; BioOne; Volume: 77; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1937-2361
Autores Tópico(s)Plant and animal studies
ResumoScanning electron microscopy reveals two tuft organs each with an average of six hairs in Pediculus humanus Linn. Similarly located tufts of Phthirus pubis (Linn.) average nine hairs. Two pore organs on the fifth antennal segments of both these lice are also described. The antennal tuft organ of Pediculus humanus Linnaeus was described by Keilin and Nutall (1930) as a tuft of four sensory hairs with a tube penetrating into a sensory ganglion. Only one such organ was pictured on their plate of the antenna of the first instar of P. humantes. Wigglesworth (1941) referred to three such structures on the dorsolateral aspect of the terminal segment and one at the apex of the fourth segment on the lateral side of the antenna. His illustra? tion of the tuft showed it to consist of four delicate hairs on a cone which arises from within the antenna. This description has been repeated in many texts. The scanning electron microscope allows this structure to be described more accurately. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study is based on 96 specimens of P. humanus representing six different populations. Two of the populations were head lice from North America and the remaining were body lice from North America and Mexico, including one from a laboratory colony which had been reared on rabbits for many generations. Twelve specimens of Phthirus pubis (L.) from Europe were also examined. Males and females from each population were studied and the nymphal stages
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