Gaffin D D, Brownell P H
Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-2914, USA.
J Comp Physiol A. 1997 Sep;181(3):291-300. doi: 10.1007/s003590050115.
By behavioral and anatomical criteria, the pectinal sensory appendages of scorpions appear to be chemoreceptive organs specialized for detection of substances on substrates. These comb-like, midventral appendages contain tens of thousands of minute (< 5 microns), truncated setae, called pegs, arranged in dense, two-dimensional arrays on the ventral surface. In this study we used extracellular recording techniques to examine spontaneous and stimulated activity of sensory neurons within individual pegs. Chronic recordings lasting several days showed long-term fluctuations in spontaneous activity of sensory units in single peg sensilla, with peak activity coinciding with the animal's normal period of foraging. Several units were identified by the stereotypical waveforms of action potentials they elicit. Near-range olfactory stimulation of peg sensilla by volatile alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, and carboxylic acids produced dose-dependent patterns of neural response. Contact stimulation with these chemicals, or water, or mechanical deflection of the peg tip also evoked activity in identifiable units. The peg sensilla appear to be broadly sensitive to odorants and tastants, suggesting they function similarly to the antennae of mandibulate arthropods.
根据行为学和解剖学标准，蝎子的栉状感觉附肢似乎是专门用于检测基质上物质的化学感受器官。这些梳状的中腹附肢包含数万个微小的（<5微米）、截短的刚毛，称为栉齿，在腹面排列成密集的二维阵列。在本研究中，我们使用细胞外记录技术来检查单个栉齿内感觉神经元的自发活动和刺激活动。持续数天的慢性记录显示，单个栉齿感受器中感觉单元的自发活动存在长期波动，峰值活动与动物的正常觅食期一致。通过它们引发的动作电位的典型波形鉴定出了几个单元。挥发性醇、醛、酮、酯和羧酸对栉齿感受器的近程嗅觉刺激产生了剂量依赖性的神经反应模式。用这些化学物质、水或对栉齿尖端的机械偏转进行接触刺激也能在可识别的单元中诱发活动。栉齿感受器似乎对气味剂和味觉剂具有广泛的敏感性，这表明它们的功能与咀嚼式节肢动物的触角类似。
