Speaker
Description
Arthropods exhibit a wide array of chemical senses that are essential for survival, reproduction, and environmental interactions. Most of our understanding of arthropod chemical senses is derived from research on insects, whose chemosensory systems are notably advanced. The molecular foundation of these systems involves specialized proteins encoded by extensive gene families that have experienced considerable expansion and diversification throughout insect evolution. We also have some knowledge regarding the chemical senses of crustaceans, with a primary focus on decapod crustaceans. However, a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of chemical senses in arthropods requires insights into myriapods and arachnids, which remain largely unexplored. Given that terrestrial adaptation occurred independently multiple times in arthropods, it is plausible that olfactory sensilla also evolved several times independently. I aim to summarize the current knowledge on chemosensilla in arachnids and propose a framework that may facilitate the formulation of specific research questions and identification of target groups for further study.
