Neuronal control of swimming in jellyfish: a comparative story
Abstract
The swim-control systems of hydrozoan and scyphozoan medusae show distinct differences despite similarity in the mechanics of swimming in the two groups. This dichotomy was first demonstrated by G.J. Romanes at the end of the 19th century, yet his results still accurately highlight differences in the neuronal control systems in the two groups. A review of current information on swim-control systems reveals an elaboration of Romanes' dichotomy, but no significant changes to it. The dichotomy is used to suggest that cubomedusae are more closely aligned with the scyphomedusae, and to highlight areas of future research that could be used to look for common, possibly primitive, features of medusan conduction systems.
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The presence of a well-developed nerve net correlates with the presence of basiepithelial muscle fibres directly innervated by nerve net neurons in cnidarians and ctenophores.
“The presence of a well-developed nerve net correlates with the presence of basiepithelial muscle fibres directly innervated by nerve net neurons, in cnidarians and in ctenophores [61,67,128,132,133,135,136,138–142].”
From Gastric pouches and the mucociliary sole: setting the stage for nervous system evolution (2015) · cites this paper as [140]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Satterlie, R. A.
- Corresponding author
- Satterlie, Richard A
- ORCID
- Satterlie, Richard A
- Venue
- Canadian Journal of Zoology
- Publisher
- Canadian Science Publishing
- Published
- 2002-10-01
- Volume
- 80
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1654-1669
- ISSN
- 0008-4301 (ISSN-L)
- 1480-3283
- OpenAlex
- W1986820141
- Cited by
- 125
- References
- 79
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 4.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Canadian Journal of Zoology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Planarian Biology and Electrostimulation
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Biomimetic flight and propulsion mechanisms
- Keywords
- jellyfish swimming, neuronal control, cubomedusae, scyphomedusae, comparative neurobiology, cnidarian evolution
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