Microscopic anatomy of the Haller’s organ of snake ticks

ABSTRACTMicroscopic anatomy of Haller’s organ of snake inhabiting tick, Amblyomma gervaisi and Amblyomma helvolum is described. The Haller’s organ consists of two parts, the anterior pit and the proximal capsule. The surface ultrastructural studies by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) on this olfactory organ of both the species revealed some species specific features like slit pattern. Anterior pit consists of six sensilla in A. gervaisi and four in A. helvolum. These sensilla at their base region are connected to each other by a channel. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation of this organ of A. gervaisi shows that the lumen of each sensilla and the channel are associated with muscles and bunches of nerve fibres, respectively. Proximal capsule consists of few pyramid shaped elevated regions, each of which at their ventral surface bears cluster of one bipolar sensory cell guarded by two lateral supportive cells. Cytomorphology of the sensory cell exhibit distinct nucleus, mitochondria, ...