Neurons in the abdominal ganglion of the marine mollusk,
Aplysia californica , appear to respond directly to changes in
blood flow and oxygen tension within the ganglion. When circulation
through the ganglion is reduced, the spontaneous activity of some
identifiable neurons are excited while others are inhibited. Many of
the...
The giant hairy desert scorpion, Hadrurus arizonensis, is a long-lived species
of North American scorpion that is presented here as an important model for research
in mating systems evolution and sexual selection. Many behaviors found in this
species were undocumented and are described here for the first time. This thesis...
This is a neuroanatomical and ethological study of the pectines, the primary
chemosensory organs of scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones). The pectines are
paired, ventromedial appendages that brush the substrate as the scorpion walks.
This comb-like organ consists of a supportive spine and an array of teeth. Each
tooth supports hundreds of...
The vascular system of Aplysia californica is a simple visceromotor system with three main arteries innervated by a small pool of identified neurons. I used this system to
study the functions of neuropeptide transmitters and their actions on neural and muscle tissues. A central finding of this study is that...
