Biology Weekly Seminar Series

Bug brains and ballistic shrimp: a new comparative model of olfactory navigation with Dr. Theresa Steele '18.

Many organisms rely on chemical signals to detect key environmental resources. Arthropods (insects and crustaceans) in particular have long been studied for their robust chemosensory systems and long range olfactory navigation behaviors, which are thought to be driven by an evolutionarily conserved brain region. However in crustaceans, which possess an extensive chemosensory system consisting of two sets of antennae, it remains unclear how sensory signals are integrated to facilitate navigation.

In my PhD research, I characterized the food search behaviors of the amphipod crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis. I found that Parhyale exhibit a unique strategy for food localization consisting of direct, targeted approaches to food. Selective removal of the antennae disrupted Parhyale's ability to stabilize heading direction during locomotion and respond to food proximity, and revealed a core redundancy in the function of the crustacean antennae.