Abstract
In most fish groups, a large pair of Mauthner neurons provides a distinctive and conspicuous pathway linking the motoneurons of the cord to nerve VIII input. Physiological studies have been almost entirely on the apparatus in teleosts (review by Diamond, 1971), but its morphology is essentially similar in other groups, and it seems likely that wherever found in gnathostomes, its function is the same: to mediate a startle response involving a single rapid tail flip. It is therefore, as Whiting (1957) has emphasized, an important part of the reflex system in those lower chordates in which the myotomal musculature is used in locomotion. Not surprisingly, where locomotion is carried out in a different way (as for example in adult anura), the Mauthner neurons of the larva degenerate and disappear, as they do in a variety of teleosts where a tail flip startle response is inappropriate in the adult.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
