An American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) can quickly begin to turn away from approaching danger, such as a hungry toad lunging toward it or a flyswatter wielded by a person, after the air pushed in front of the moving object reaches the roach’s body. A cockroach has very sensitive wind sensors (mechanoreceptors) on its cerci, which are small appendages at the end of its abdomen. One cercus points slightly to the right, the other to the left. Use what you know about moth orientation to bat cries to suggest how this simple system might provide the information the roach needs to turn away from an attacking toad, rather than toward it. Also, briefly describe how might you test your hypothesis experimentally?
Anatomy and Physiology of Special Sensory Organs
Sensory organs can be labeled as special sensory structures that permit sight, hearing, odor, and flavor. Sensory structures permitting proprioception, touch, thermal, and pain perception can be classified as more advanced sensory organs. The sensory neurons are trained to find out modifications in the external and internal conditions so that a person's body can react to that change. A stimulus is the first signal that is recognized by any sensory receptor of the body. Stimulus is an impulse generated when there is a change in the surroundings of a person. For example, a heated environment will alert the brain through the thermal sensory organs and generate a reflex accordingly.
Sensory Receptors
The human sensory system is one of the most complex and highly evolved structures, which processes a myriad of incoming messages. This well-coordinated system helps an organism or individual to respond to external stimuli, appropriately. The sensory receptors are an important part of the sensory system. These receptors are specialized epidermal cells that respond to external environmental stimuli. These receptors consist of structural and support cells that form the peripheral unit of the receptor and the neural dendrites which receive and detect the external stimuli.
An American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) can quickly begin to turn away from approaching danger, such as a hungry toad lunging toward it or a flyswatter wielded by a person, after the air pushed in front of the moving object reaches the roach’s body. A cockroach has very sensitive wind sensors (mechanoreceptors) on its cerci, which are small appendages at the end of its abdomen. One cercus points slightly to the right, the other to the left. Use what you know about moth orientation to bat cries to suggest how this simple system might provide the information the roach needs to turn away from an attacking toad, rather than toward it. Also, briefly describe how might you test your hypothesis experimentally?
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