External morphology and abundance of antennal sensilla in Australian Gryllacrididae

The long (49-93 mm) antennae of two species of Australian gryllacridids have high total numbers of sensilla consisting of five sensillar types. Ametrus sp. 7 has 22,300 (female) and 26,250 (male) sensilla; although the antennae of males are 33% longer than those of females, their sensillar density was 11% less. Bothriogryllacris pinguipes has 26,700 (male) and 31,900 (female) sensilla; antennae of females are 55% longer than those of males but sensillar density is 23% less. Aporous sensilla chaetica form 94.5 to 99.5% of all sensilla; they are presumably mechanoreceptors. Uniporous trichoid contact chemoreceptors range from 75-900 in number. Olfactory, multiporous, basiconic sensilla range from 22-440 and olfactory, coeloconic sensilla from 16-235. Two to five multiporous lenticular organs occur on all but female A. sp. 7. Differences in sensillar abundance between males and females are discussed as well as are the relationships between sensillar diversity on gryllacridid mouthparts and antennae