![]() Previous studies have shown that larval Cho play a role in low-temperature sensation ( 12, 13). Larval Cho have similar developmental programs ( 11) and structures as their adult counterparts, suggesting that they might be capable of sensing sound/vibration. In the adult fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, Cho neurons of the Johnston organ in the antenna mediate both hearing and sensing of gravity and wind ( 9, 10). Chordotonal organs (Cho), the main hearing organs for insects, are specialized mechanosensitive organs found in the Insecta and Crustacea ( 4 – 7) that may serve as proprioceptors or as cutaneous mechanoreceptor organs ( 8). Insects are equipped with sensitive receptor organs for detection of sounds and the underlying neural network enabling recognition and localization of the targets in a complex environment ( 3). In the life of insects, sound signals mediate important information that is used in various contexts, ranging from courtship to detection of predators or prey ( 1, 2). These findings indicate that larval Cho, like their counterparts in the adult fly, use some of the same mechanotransduction channels to detect sound waves and mediate the sensation akin to hearing in Drosophila larvae, allowing them to respond to the appearance of predators or other environmental cues at a distance with behaviors crucial for survival. Furthermore, our study implicates the transient receptor potential (TRP) channels NOMPC, NANCHUNG, and INACTIVE, but not the dmPIEZO channel, in the mechanotransduction and/or signal amplification for the detection of sound by the larval Cho neurons. Our calcium imaging and electrophysiological experiments reveal that Cho neurons, but not class IV da neurons, are excited by natural sounds or pure tones, with tuning curves and intensity dependence appropriate for the behavioral responses. The larval response to sound/vibration requires Cho neurons and, to a lesser extent, class IV da neurons. Here we report that larvae respond to sound of wasps and yellow jackets, as well as to pure tones of frequencies that are represented in such natural sounds, with startle and burrowing behaviors. Whether they can also detect and respond to vibration or sound from their predators remains an open question. Recent studies have revealed that Drosophila larvae can sense harsh or gentle touch with dendritic arborization (da) neurons in the body wall and can detect vibration with chordotonal organs (Cho). Mechanical stimuli, including tactile and sound signals, convey a variety of information important for animals to navigate the environment and avoid predators. ![]()
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