W. Kutsch et R. Heckmann, MOTOR SUPPLY OF THE DORSAL LONGITUDINAL MUSCLES .1. HOMONOMY AND ONTOGENY OF THE MOTONEURONS LOCUSTS (INSECTA, CAELIFERA), Zoomorphology, 115(3), 1995, pp. 179-195
The neural supply of the dorsal longitudinal muscles in successive seg
ments from the prothorax to the pregenital abdomen of adult and larval
instar locusts (Locusta migratoria and Schistocerca gregaria) has bee
n studied. Stainings have also been carried out for embryos. The whole
complement consists of three muscles, of which one or both of the sma
ller ones degenerate in the pterothoracic segments during early imagin
al life. Based on morphological criteria, several motoneurone types ca
n be distinguished. The neural set is almost identical for all segment
s, independent of the general organization of each segment. At about 6
5% of embryogenesis, all neurone types can be identified with respect
to soma position and basic features of the central branching pattern.
By the end of embryogenesis, a dendritic pattern is esl tablished whic
h resembles the adult pattern in all major aspects. The reiteration of
homonomous elements suggests that they form part of the basic segment
al neural Bauplan generated early in embryogenesis. This study of musc
les and motoneurones forming identifiable, reiterated neuromuscular un
its can serve as a segmental matrix for a comparative study comprising
other phylogenetic groups of the Tracheata.