Neuronal segmentation in cephalopod arms.

The prehensile arms of the cephalopod are among these animals' most remarkable features, but little is known about the neural circuitry governing arm and sucker movements. Here, we investigated the cellular and molecular organization of the arm nervous system, focusing on the massive axial nerve cords (ANCs) in the octopus arms which collectively harbor four times as many neurons as the central brain. We found that the ANC is segmented.

Neuronal segmentation in cephalopod arms.

The prehensile arms of the cephalopod are among these animals most remarkable features, but the neural circuitry governing arm and sucker movements remains largely unknown. We studied the neuronal organization of the adult axial nerve cord (ANC) of with molecular and cellular methods. The ANCs, which lie in the center of every arm, are the largest neuronal structures in the octopus, containing four times as many neurons as found in the central brain.

Toward an Understanding of Octopus Arm Motor Control.

Octopuses have the extraordinary ability to control eight prehensile arms with hundreds of suckers. With these highly flexible limbs, they engage in a wide variety of tasks, including hunting, grooming, and exploring their environment. The neural circuitry generating these movements engages every division of the octopus nervous system, from the nerve cords of the arms to the supraesophegeal brain.