Images Dated 28th March 1995

Coloured SEM of proboscis of flesh fly, Sarcophaga

Proboscis of flesh fly. Coloured scanning electron micrograph of the proboscis of a grey flesh fly, Sarcophaga carnaria. The proboscis is an elongated feeding organ used to sponge up liquid or soluble food, (dead or decaying flesh in the case of the flesh fly). The sponging surface seen here consists of two labella (grey), covered with a network of branching grooves (pseudotracheae). It is this sponge organ which conveys liquid food to the mouth. Solid foods are dissolved in a drop of saliva & sucked up in the same way. The hairs fringing the proboscis are sensory receptors that enable the fly to taste" substances and test for palatability. Magnification: x30 at 5x7cm size. x95 at 10x8"

© POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY