Chemoreceptors of blowflies

AbstractThis paper deals with the morphology of all the so‐called gustatory and olfactory organs of blowflies, and describes tests conducted to determine whether these insects taste with their tarsi and smell with their antennae and palpi. Antennae bear two types of so‐called olfactory hairs, while palpi bear only one. With the aid of an olfactometer it has been shown that antennae and palpi do not bear the olfactory organs.In order to explain the proboscis response, described by Minnich, it is not necessary to assume that tarsi bear gustatory organs, because: (1) a tarus bears no sense organs, except nine olfactory pores; (2) it is almost impossible to wet the tarsi with water or sugar water; and (3) when flies were in the proper nutritive condition and liquids were about 3 mm. from the tarsi, the insects were induced by a special method to exhibit the proboscis response. It was further clearly demonstrated by a similar method that tarsi can easily distinguish between chemically pure saccharose water and distilled water when these liquids are about 3 mm. from the tarsi. The responses, obtained by any method, are caused by two stimuli, one mechanical and the other olfactory. The act of touching the feet produces the initial stimulus and brings the liquids almost in contact with the olfactory pores on the tarsi.