Chan W P, Prete F, Dickinson M H
Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Science. 1998 Apr 10;280(5361):289-92. doi: 10.1126/science.280.5361.289.
Dipterous insects (the true flies) have a sophisticated pair of equilibrium organs called halteres that evolved from hind wings. The halteres are sensitive to Coriolis forces that result from angular rotations of the body and mediate corrective reflexes during flight. Like the aerodynamically functional fore wings, the halteres beat during flight and are equipped with their own set of control muscles. It is shown that motoneurons innervating muscles of the haltere receive strong excitatory input from directionally sensitive visual interneurons. Visually guided flight maneuvers of flies may be mediated in part by efferent modulation of hard-wired equilibrium reflexes.
双翅目昆虫（真正的苍蝇）有一对复杂的平衡器官，称为平衡棒，它是由后翅进化而来的。平衡棒对身体角旋转产生的科里奥利力敏感，并在飞行过程中介导纠正反射。与具有空气动力学功能的前翅一样，平衡棒在飞行时会摆动，并配备有自己的一组控制肌肉。研究表明，支配平衡棒肌肉的运动神经元从方向敏感的视觉中间神经元接收强烈的兴奋性输入。苍蝇的视觉引导飞行机动可能部分由硬连线平衡反射的传出调制介导。
