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Journal of Experimental Biology 52,167-175 (1970)
Published by Company of Biologists 1970

Neural Patterns Associated with Ventilatory Movements in Dragonfly Larvae

P. J. MILL ¹

¹ Department of Zoology, University of Leeds

1. Rhythmic bursts of motor activity associated with the expiratory phase of ventilation have been recorded from the second lateral segmental nerves of posterior abdominal ganglia in Aeshna and Anax larvae.

2. In Aeshna the rhythmic expiratory bursts contain one, or sometimes two, motor units; whereas in Anax there are almost invariably three units. In both animals only one unit is associated with action potentials in the respiratory dorso-ventral muscle.

3. Motor activity synchronized with the expiratory bursts in the second nerves has been recorded from the other lateral nerves and from the last unpaired nerve. In addition the fifth lateral nerves carry inspiratory bursts.

4. It has been confirmed that stimulation of a first segmental nerve can re-set the ventilatory rhythm by initiating an expiratory burst in the second nerves. The original frequency is immediately resumed on cessation of stimulation.

5. The nature of the ventilatory control system in dragonfly larvae is discussed in relation to other rhythmic systems in the arthropods.