first ultrastructural observations on the tarsal pore organ of pseudocellus pearsei and p. boneti (arachnida, ricinulei)

Abstract

Due to their relative rareness and restricted distribution, little is known about the ultrastructure Of ricilluleids. In particular, sense organs have not been the subject of electron microscopic research until now. Ricinuleids use their forelegs to explore their surroundings with tentative movements. The distal tarsomeres of legs I and 11 of two cavernicolous Mexican species, Pseudocellus pearsei from the Yucatan Peninsula and Pseudocellus boneti from Guerrero, were examined ill this Study with light microscopy, scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A Conspicuous feature of the distal tarsomeres of legs I and 11 is a single circular opening that extends as a deep tube-like pit into the tarsus. This pore organ is lacking in the 6-legged larvae. Comparable organs are present in Araneae, Scorpiones, Amblypygi and Anactinotrichida. The tarsal organs of the mentioned groups possess several types of sensilla (olfactory, thermo- and hygrosensitive and mechanosensitve). The pore organ is located in the distal third of the dorsal half of the tarsus. In longitudinal sections it shows a long oval shape. In cross sections it is nearly circular. The pore organ contains a large number of long, slightly curved setae. These setae are localized oil the bottom and the lower two thirds of the wall of the pit and project into the lumen. The Upper third of the wall is free of setae and show, folds which extend parallel to the opening. All setae inside the pit seem to be of the same type. In sections they show a complex inner structure and likely represent chemoreceptive wall pore single-walled (wp-sw) sensilla. This indicates a possible olfactory function. The pore organ is underlain by numerous gland cells which represent characteristics Of Unicellular "class I" gland cells.