Tömösváry organs, also known as temporal organs or postantennal organs are specialized paired sensory organs found in certain groups of

myriapod Myriapods () are the members of subphylum Myriapoda, containing arthropods such as millipedes and centipedes. The group contains about 13,000 species, all of them terrestrial. Although molecular evidence and similar fossils suggests a diversifi ...

s (e.g.

centipede Centipedes (from Neo-Latin , "hundred", and Latin , "foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', "lip", and Neo-Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, ...

s and

millipede Millipedes (originating from the Latin , "thousand", and , "foot") are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name derive ...

s) and hexapods (e.g.

springtail Springtails (class Collembola) form the largest of the three lineages of modern Hexapoda, hexapods that are no longer considered insects. Although the three lineages are sometimes grouped together in a class called Entognatha because they have in ...

s), located on the head near the base of the antennae. They are notably absent among Polydesmid (flat-backed millipedes), the largest order of Diplopoda. Various functions for the Tömösváry organs have been proposed, including sensing vibration, humidity, or light, although evidence for their true function is conflicting, and in groups such as millipedes its true function is unknown. The organs were first described by Hungarian biologist Ödön Tömösváry in 1883.

References

Myriapod anatomy Sensory organs in animals Springtail anatomy {{arthropod-anatomy-stub