Structure and development of the auditory system in the prothoracic leg of the cricket Teleogryllus commodus (walker)

Summary

The anatomical development of the tympanal organ, the tracheal system and the tympana of Teleogryllus commodus is described. The tympanal organ is undifferentiated until instar 3 when the first scolopales appear. The organ develops in a proximo-distal direction but the more distal groups begin to form before the proximal groups are complete. All groups of scolopidia are represented in instar 7 but numbers of scolopidia continue to increase until the adult stage. Scolopales and scolopale cells are first formed at less than adult size and increase in size during subsequent instars. The subgenual organ is present in instar 1 and is complete in instar 4. The posterior and anterior tympanal trachease develop respectively from the tracheal trunk and tracheal branch, which are present from instar 2. These remain as simple, unconnected tubes until instar 7 and begin to show the adult form during instars 8 and 9, finally enlarging in conjunction with the tympana at the last two moults. The tympana first appear as hairless areas of cuticle in the larval stages: the posterior tympanum in instar 8 and anterior tympanum in instar 10, but the translucent appearance of the adult tympana is not present before the final moult.