GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SENSORY SYSTEM 25 



Larsen, and Adams, 1963) have revealed a most extraordinary 

 complexity in the structure of the dendrites and scolopoid bodies of 

 sensilla. Since details appear to differ so much from one sensillum to 

 another, specific cases will be dealt with in later chapters. 



While certain generalizations can be made about the function of 

 some types of sensilla (e.g., sensilla campaniformia are mcchano- 

 receptors sensitive to deformation of the cuticle, and chordotonal 

 sensilla are mechanoreceptors sensitive to sound, vibration, and 

 stretching of parts of the body), it is dangerous as well as unprofitable 

 to attempt to link a particular structure with a particular function. 

 This is so because a type of sensillum which may subserve one function 

 in one species may subserve a different function in another. Further- 

 more, a single sensillum may consist of more than one type of receptor 

 (e.g., the labellar hairs of Phormia, which have two chemoreceptors 

 and a mechanoreceptor associated with them). Each is a case unto 

 itself. 



