title: The central morphology of mechanoreceptor afferents in the metathoracic leg of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana (Insecta).
abstract: The sensory arborizations of the femoral chordotonal organ (FECO), trochanteral campaniform sensilla (CS) and the trochanteral hairplate (THP) are restricted to the ipsilateral hemiganglion and possess large dendritic fields in the dorsal and ventral neuropiles. The efferent projections of the fast (Df) and the slow (Ds) depressor motoneurons project into the same areas. Three groups of trichoid sensilla located on the coxal and trochanteral cuticular walls have central contralateral projections and in one case intersegmental projections. All sensory projections terminate either just lateral of or in the Ventral Association Centre (VAC). Comparisons with the mechanoreceptors of other insects reveal similar projection patterns for some proprioceptors and non-homologous central configurations for others.
mesh_terms: D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000818:Animals; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005121:Extremities / Q000294:innervation*; D005724:Ganglia / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D010526:Periplaneta / Q000033:anatomy & histology*