The aesthetasc concept: structural variations of putative olfactory receptor cell complexes in Crustacea

The structure of the aesthetascs has been investigated in the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (larvae and juveniles), the opossum shrimp Neomysis integer, the euphausid Meganyctiphanes, and in the water-fleas Daphnia magna and D. longispina. The aesthetascs, that are thought to represent olfactory receptors, exhibit a considerable structural variation, ranging from the well known aesthetascs of higher crustaceans (lobster, crab, crayfish) to the corresponding sensilla found in the water-fleas and the males of opossum shrimps. The two following morphological characteristics of the aesthetascs are thought to indicate an olfactory function: the shape of the cuticular hair that is long and essentially hose-shaped, and the thin, loosely arranged cuticle of at least the outer part of the cuticular hair. The presence of other structural elements such as sensory cells, cilia, and enveloping cells are vital for the olfactory function, but the development is variable, which makes their use in the morphological definition of aesthetascs problematic.