State-dependent, visually guided behaviors in the nudibranch Berghia stephanieae.

Nudibranch mollusks have structurally simple eyes whose behavioral roles have not been established. We tested the effects of visual stimuli on the behavior of the nudibranch Berghia stephanieae under different food and hunger conditions. In an arena that was half-shaded, animals spent most of their time in the dark, where they also decreased their speed and made more changes in heading.

The importance of identified neurons in gastropod molluscs to neuroscience.

Gastropod molluscs have large neurons that are uniquely identifiable across individuals and across species based on neuroanatomical and neurochemical criteria, facilitating research into neural signaling and neural circuits. Novel neuropeptides have been identified through RNA sequencing and mass spectroscopic analysis of single neurons. The roles of peptides and other signaling molecules including second messengers have been placed in the context of small circuits that control simple behaviors.