Spontaneous electrical activity of the suboesophageal ganglion and circadian rhythms in scorpions.
The electrical activity of the suboesophageal ganglion of the scorpion Euscorpius flavicaudis was recorded. Four kinds of waves were observed: random waves, single pattern, periodic waves and perturbed periodic waves. While random waves and single pattern could be recorded at any time of the day, periodic waves were observed only during the night. We claim that periodic waves mark the activity of a suboesophageal pace-maker and we propose a system of two pace-makers to explain the visual and locomotor circadian rhythms of scorpions.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012605:Scorpions / Q000502:physiology*