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Glite Dictionary
sensillum

sensillum

9.9
A very small part on an insect's body that senses touch, chemicals or movement
  • noun
  • /sɛnˈsɪləm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sensilo
  • Each sensillum on the beetle's leg responds to touch or chemical signals.

Examples

  • What role does the sensillum play in detecting smells?

  • The antennae of the moth are covered with tiny sensilla that help it detect smells.

  • Scientists examined the sensillum under a microscope to study how insects sense their environment.

  • The sensillum helps insects sense their environment.

  • The sensillum on the insect's antennae allowed it to detect changes in air pressure.

  • Researchers observed how each sensillum responds to different scents in the environment.

  • A single sensillum can be responsible for sensing various environmental stimuli like temperature and humidity.

Surface Forms

sensillum singular
sensilla plural

Etymology

Sensillum comes from the Latin sensus and sentire, which mean 'to feel', and has a small ending that means 'little', so it literally means 'little sense'. That's why a sensillum is a tiny sensory organ on insects that helps them 'feel' touch, smell, or chemical signals.