<div style="text-align: justify;">Oecophylla smaragdina is an established biological pest control agent in south-east Asian continent for cash crops like cashew and mango. It is a cosmopolitan species found all over the Asian continent. Being a social hymenopteran insect, Oecophylla smaragdina has a colony comprising of polymorphs. The morphological and ultra-structural investigation of such polymorphs antenna was done with scanning electron microscopy to reveal presence of various chemosensory, thermo-sensory and tactile sensory sensillae on the antennal segments with their specific role in the polymorphs. The role of worker in foraging activity is supported with the presence of large number of sensilla compared to other castes.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">&ldquo;Surface Ultra-Structural Studies on Antennae in Polymorphs of Weaver Ant <em>Oecophylla smaragdina</em>; Fabricius&rdquo; (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with Reference to Sensilla</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">The studies with SEM clearly depicted that the antenna of female was longer than male antenna. Five types of sensilla namely trichodea, chaetica, styloconica, coeloconica and auricillica, and scales were observed on the flagellum of both sexes. Sensilla trichodea were distributed randomly on all segments and were the most frequent type. Six sensilla chaetica were observed on each flagellar segment in both sexes, except in the apical segment. A sensillum styloconicum was always found at the upper-middle region of each flagellar subsegment. This sensillum had a smooth petiole and a conic extremity with one to three apical structures. Sensilla coeloconica were situated from middle to the distal portion of segment. Sensilla auricillica were found among the scales and had the typical shape of rabbit&rsquo;s ear. Sensilla squamiformia were present on dorsal part of the antenna among scales. They were shorter and finer than scales and were embedded in a socket and point distally. Sensilla basiconica were smaller and least abundant of all sensilla.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Documentation and validation of chemosensory structures in antennae of <em>Spodoptera litura </em>(Fabricius) through Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)</div>

“Surface Ultra-Structural Studies on Antennae in Polymorphs of Weaver Ant Oecophylla smaragdina; Fabricius” (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with Reference to Sensilla

Documentation and validation of chemosensory structures in antennae of Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) through Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)