Current Projects: 

Chrysops nigribimbo:


This study seeks to charecterize the morphology of sensilla within the labrum of the deer fly.  

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Tabanus atratus:


This study seeks to charecterize the morphology of sensilla within the labrum of the horse fly. Click here to learn more.

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Aedes Vexans:


This study seeks to charecterize the morphology of sensilla within the cibarium of the mosquito. Click here to learn more.

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What are Sensilla? 

Sensilla are the sensory structures used by insects for sensing their surroundings externally and internally. The studies conducted above sought to examine the sensilla within the labrum and the cibarium of Tabanidae and Culicidae. The sensilla encountered included basiconic and setiform sensilla. 

Setiform Sensilla

These sensilla are mechanoreceptors in nature. Their shape is a long stalk sitting in a cup generally. During imaging, it was observed that some stalks were more robust than others. Additionally, these sensilla always seemed to attract debris despite different preperation techniques.

Basicone Sensilla

These sensilla have an ambiguous purpose. Depending on the type, they can be either porous or aporous. It is believed that their porosity dictates their function and thus those with pores are potentially chemoreceptors and those without pores are mechanoreceptors. They are short and stubby sitting ina socket that has a cuff. Their aggregation is in the distal region of the labrum, the distal cibarium and the proximal cibarium.