Summary
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1.
The structure and function of an auditory giant neuron in the CNS of the thoracic and head ganglia of the bush cricketDecticus verrucivorus are described.
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2.
The neuron extends from the abdomen to the supraesophageal ganglion and has several branches, mainly directed toward the midline, in each ganglion of the central nervous system.
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3.
Dendritic branches of the neuron lie in the prothoracic ganglion; the branches in the other ganglia are probably chiefly presynaptic (information-transmitting) structures, with no morphological differences visible by the light microscope.
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4.
The neuron shows strong habituation. It reacts tonically only to some of the chirps at the beginning of the species-specific song; later it reacts in an unspecific way or not at all to the song. In the habituated condition the neuron reacts with phasic on-responses to sound signals in the frequency range of 10–40 kHz. Low-frequency sound and vibration stimuli produce inhibitory influences on the activity of the neuron.
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5.
The response of the neuron is unchanged along the axon stem within the thoracic and the head region of the CNS.
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6.
The cell is strongly excited on stimulation with air puffs; under these conditions responses to airborne-sound signals can be masked. The receptors responding to air puffs are the low-frequency-sound receptors and middle range-frequency-sound receptors in the ipsilateral tympanal organ.
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The work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, as part of the program Sonderforschungsbereich 114 (Bionach) and as part of the program “Neurale Mechanismen des Verhaltens” (Ka 498/1)
We thank Dr. Brian Lewis for critical reading of the manuscript. We are also grateful for technical help to Mrs. I. Klotz and Mrs. A. Scheiding, and to L. Schillak.
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Kalmring, K., Rehbein, H. & Kühne, R. An auditory giant neuron in the ventral cord ofDecticus verrucivorus (Tettigoniidae). J. Comp. Physiol. 132, 225–234 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00614494
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00614494