Sense organs on the antennal flagellum of the human louse, Pediculus humanus (Anoplura)

Tactile hairs are present on all three subsegments of the antennal flagellum of the human louse. There is, in addition, a single chemoreceptor (tuft organ) on subsegment 2 and 12 or 13 chemoreceptors (one tuft organ, two pore organs and nine or ten pegs) on subsegment 3. The cuticle surrounding the bases of the pegs at the tip of the antenna is unusual in that parts of it are perforated by many fine pores. This cuticle is underlain by a thin layer of dendrites. This region may also have a chemoreceptor function.