Decoding the Sensory Landscape: FESEM Analysis of Antennal and Palpal Sensilla in Vegetable Leafminer

Liriomyza sativae Blanchard is an invasive leafminer species affecting major vegetable crops in Tamil Nadu. These insects locate their hosts by detecting volatiles emitted from host plants and their surroundings, using olfactory receptors on their antennae and maxillary palps. This study represents the first attempt to examine the various types of sensilla on the antennae and palps of adult male and female L. sativae using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The analysis revealed five types of sensilla: microtrichia, chaetic, trichoid, basiconic, and coeloconic. Microtrichia and chaetic sensilla, found on the scape, pedicel, and palp, are involved in nonolfactory functions such as mechanoreception. The flagellum, the main olfactory organ, contains trichoid, basiconic, coeloconic sensilla, and microtrichia. Basiconic and chaetic sensilla are categorized into subtypes based on their morphology. This study lays the groundwork for future electroantennographic research into the interactions between these sensilla receptors and environmental chemical compounds.