Diagram of a typical hair plate. Hairs sense when the cuticle folds through deflections. These senses are relayed to nervous system for further processing.

Hair plates are tight bundles of tactile hairs used for proprioception and mechanosensation in insects. They are often located at folds in the cuticle, so that they are deflected when the insect moves a joint relative to another [1]. When they occur at the base of the antenna, such as in cockroaches, they may be used for mechanosensation by sensing the deflections of the antenna [2].

Lateral view of a cockroach antenna, showing the hair plates

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Tuthill, John C.; Wilson, Rachel I. (2016-10). "Mechanosensation and Adaptive Motor Control in Insects". Current Biology. 26 (20): R1022–R1038. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2016.06.070. PMC 5120761. PMID 27780045. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); no-break space character in |first2= at position 7 (help); no-break space character in |first= at position 5 (help)CS1 maint: PMC format (link)
  2. ^ Okada, J.; Toh, Y. (2000-09-01). "The role of antennal hair plates in object-guided tactile orientation of the cockroach (Periplaneta americana)". Journal of Comparative Physiology A. 186 (9): 849–857. doi:10.1007/s003590000137. ISSN 1432-1351.