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American Museum of Natural History

Types of Antennae

Antennae: Segmented appendages attached to the head above the mouthparts, with important sensory functions, including touch, smell, and in some cases hearing.

Pulmose

Pectinate

Serrate

Moniliform

Filiform

aristate

Elbowed

Clubbed

  • More About This Resource...

    • This illustrated guide is designed to help students recognize and learn the different types of antennae found on arthropods. The single Web page, which can be easily printed for use at field sites or in the lab, shows

      • plumose (featherlike)
      • pectinate (comblike)
      • serrate (sawlike)
      • moniliform (beadlike)
      • filiform (threadlike)
      • aristrate (with bristles)
      • elbowed (with a bend)
      • clubbed (the segments towards the end are larger)

    • Completion Time

      Less than 1 period

    • Teacher Tip

      Supplement a study of biodiversity with an activity drawn from this guide to types of antennae.

      1. Discuss how arthropods use their antennae to sense the world.
      2. Send students to this online guide, or print copies of it for them to reference.
      3. Have students select three antennae types, find an arthropod that has each one, and research how the antennae differences change the arthropod's ability to sense the world.

    • Topic

      Biology

    • Subtopic

      Animals