[Directional sensitivity of the receptors of the base of the antennae of Periplaneta americana cockroaches].

It has been demonstrated that all functional types of the pedicel receptors (i.e. receptors maintaining the flight in the cockroach) exhibit evident directional sensitivity. The limits of maximum sensitivity to mechanical shift of the flagellum respectively pedicel in the main bulk of the sensillae lies within 90-135 degrees. The increase in the amplitude of the shift of the flagellum increases these limits. Since in all types of the sensillae receptor cells are distributed in the pedicel rather evenly and each receptor has its own band of maximum sensitivity (which differs from that of the adjacent receptors), the shift of the flagellum to any direction results in sending to the central nervous system of a relatively constant volley of nervous impulses, which presumably maintains the activity of the neurones in wing apparatus during the flight of the cockroach.