Motor patterns in the stomatogastric ganglion of the lobster Panulirus argus

1. Acitivity patterns arising from the thirty cells of the stomatogastric ganglion of Panulirus argus are described for both a semi-intact preparation and an isolated one. 2. The thirty or so cells can be divided so far into two functional groupings: the gastric mill group, with at least ten motor elements, and the pyloric group with at least fourteen. There is some, but not extensive, interaction between groups. 3. The main gastric mill activity is arranged in two sets of elements, each of which is composed of reciprocating elements innervating antagonistic muscles. Thus alternation in activity between the single LC and the two LG neurones results in alternate closing and opening of the lateral teeth; alternation between the four GM and single CP units results in alternate protraction and retraction of the medial tooth. 4. The two sets are phased to each other in such a way that they cause gastric mill teeth to operate effectively to masticate food. 5. The main pyloric activity is arranged in a three-part cycle with each of three sets of units active in sequence. Activity in two PD and one AB unit is followed by bursts in IC and LP units followed in turn by activity in up to seven PY units. Activity in a single VD neurone is locked to this cycle in a more complex pattern.