Morphology of the Antenna of Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae): An Ultrastructural Investigation

The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), is a relevant species in waste and pest management, but is also of forensic and medical importance. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation of the antennae of both sexes of H. illucens is presented here for the first time. The antenna is composed of three regions: the scape, the pedicel, and the flagellum. The first two regions are single segments, whereas the third region, the longest one, is composed of eight flagellomeres. The scape and pedicel have microtrichia, chaetic sensilla, and rounded perforations. The flagellum is covered by different microtrichia, the morphology of which is described in detail. Two types of sensory pit are found on flagellomeres 1 to 6. An oval depression with trichoid sensilla extends from flagellomeres 4 to 6. On both sides of flagellomere 8 is a lanceolate depression covered by hair-like microtrichia. Morphometric and morphological analyses revealed some sex-related differences. The results of the SEM investigations are compared with those obtained on other species of the family Stratiomyidae and other brachyceran Diptera. The possible role of sensilla in sensory perception is also discussed in comparison with nondipteran species.