The Crayfish Escape Tail-Flip

2016 ◽  
pp. 178-210
Keyword(s):  
Tail Flip

Processing of proprioceptive signals by ascending interneurones in the terminal abdominal ganglion of the crayfish

1999 ◽  
Vol 202 (21) ◽  
pp. 2975-2984
Author(s):  
H. Aonuma ◽  
P.L. Newland ◽  
T. Nagayama
Keyword(s):  
Action Potentials ◽  
Chordotonal Organ ◽  
Simultaneous Application ◽  
Proprioceptive Input ◽  
Proprioceptive Stimulation ◽  
Motor Neurones ◽  
Tail Flip ◽  
Local Circuits ◽  
Proprioceptive Inputs ◽  
Subthreshold Level

Intersegmental interneurones are crucial for the appropriate coordination of the activity of local circuits located in different body segments. We have analysed the synaptic inputs to ascending intersegmental interneurones from a proprioceptor in the tailfan of the crayfish. Twenty identified interneurones responded during stimulation of the exopodite-endopodite chordotonal organ. Of these 20 interneurones, three were excited phaso-tonically, nine were excited phasically and eight were inhibited. All received convergent exteroceptive inputs from water-motion- or touch-sensitive hairs on the uropods. The effects of simultaneous exteroceptive and proprioceptive stimulation depended upon the identity of an interneurone. For interneurones that were inhibited by proprioceptive stimulation, suprathreshold exteroceptive responses were reduced to a subthreshold level by simultaneous proprioceptive stimulation. In contrast, for interneurones that were excited by proprioceptive stimulation, the simultaneous application of subthreshold proprioceptive and exteroceptive stimulation elicited action potentials. Two of the interneurones that receive proprioceptive input (NE-1 and RC-8) are known to be presynaptic to giant interneurones that mediate and coordinate the tail-flip. Many of the other interneurones that receive proprioceptive inputs in the tailfan are known to excite abdominal extensor motor neurones. Thus, proprioceptive input to these intersegmental interneurones could serve two roles: first, to extend the abdomen during postural movements or prior to escape and, second, to drive the tail-flip escape response.

Mechanics of Escape Responses in Crayfish (Orconectes Virilis)

1979 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 245-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. WEBB
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Power ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Power Stroke ◽  
Pressure Drag ◽  
Drag Forces ◽  
Added Water ◽  
Recovery Stroke ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Lift Off ◽  
Tail Flip

Measurements of acceleration performance of crayfish (mean mass 0.018 kg) were made during lateral giant mediated tail flips (LG tail flips) and truncated tail flips at 15°C. The LG tail flip power stroke was composed of a lift-off phase, when crayfish accelerated vertically from the substrate, and a free swimming phase. The total duration of the power stroke was 44 ms, followed by a recovery stroke lasting 173 ms. Truncated tail flips were used in acceleration and swimming by crayfish free of the substrate. Power strokes had a mean duration of 36 ms, and recovery strokes 92 ms. Net velocities, acceleration rates, and distances travelled by the centre of mass were similar for both types of tail flips. Thrust was generated almost entirely by the uropods and telson. Velocities and angles of orientation to the horizontal of abdominal segments were similar for both types of tail flip. Angles of attack were large, varying from 30° to 90°. Pressure (drag) forces were considered negligible compared to inertial forces associated with the acceleration of added water mass. Thrust forces, energy and power were determined for exemplary tail flips. Thrust was 0.92 and 0.42 N for LG tail flip lift-off and swimming phases respectively, and 0.29 N for the swimming truncated tail flip. Rates of working were 0.39, 0.19, and 0.18 W respectively. The efficiency of converting muscle power to backward motion was estimated to be 0.5 for power strokes and 0.68 for complete swimming cycles. Comparisons with fish performance suggested fish would be less efficient (0.1-0.2). The low efficiency is attributed to energy lost in lateral recoil movements.

Sensory Activation and Receptive Field Organization of the Lateral Giant Escape Neurons in Crayfish

2010 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 675-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Chyi Liu ◽  
Jens Herberholz
Keyword(s):  
Action Potential ◽  
Procambarus Clarkii ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Tactile Stimuli ◽  
Field Organization ◽  
Tail Flip ◽  
Receptive Field Organization ◽  
Sensory Activation ◽  
Stimulation Of

Crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii ) have bilateral pairs of giant interneurons that control rapid escape movements in response to predatory threats. The medial giant neurons (MGs) can be made to fire an action potential by visual or tactile stimuli directed to the front of the animal and this leads to an escape tail-flip that thrusts the animal directly backward. The lateral giant neurons (LGs) can be made to fire an action potential by strong tactile stimuli directed to the rear of the animal, and this produces flexions of the abdomen that propel the crayfish upward and forward. These observations have led to the notion that the receptive fields of the giant neurons are locally restricted and do not overlap with each other. Using extra- and intracellular electrophysiology in whole animal preparations of juvenile crayfish, we found that the receptive fields of the LGs are far more extensive than previously assumed. The LGs receive excitatory inputs from descending interneurons originating in the brain; these interneurons can be activated by stimulation of the antenna II nerve or the protocerebral tract. In our experiments, descending inputs alone could not cause action potentials in the LGs, but when paired with excitatory postsynaptic potentials elicited by stimulation of tail afferents, the inputs summed to yield firing. Thus the LG escape neurons integrate sensory information received through both rostral and caudal receptive fields, and excitatory inputs that are activated rostrally can bring the LGs' membrane potential closer to threshold. This enhances the animal's sensitivity to an approaching predator, a finding that may generalize to other species with similarly organized escape systems.

The tail flip of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus

1990 ◽  
Vol 166 (4) ◽  
pp. 529-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip L. Newland ◽  
Douglas M. Neil
Keyword(s):  
Nephrops Norvegicus ◽  
Norway Lobster ◽  
Tail Flip

Inhibition of mechanosensory interneurons in the crayfish. I. Presynaptic inhibition from giant fibers

1980 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 1495-1509 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Kennedy ◽  
J. McVittie ◽  
R. Calabrese ◽  
R. A. Fricke ◽  
W. Craelius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reversal Potential ◽  
Repetitive Firing ◽  
Primary Afferent Depolarization ◽  
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Giant Axons ◽  
Pharmacological Studies ◽  
Sucrose Gap ◽  
Conductance Increase ◽  
Tail Flip ◽  
Stimulation Of

1. Sucrose-gap and intracellular recordings were used to study the primary afferent depolarization (PAD) produced in mechanosensory afferents by impulses in lateral and medial giant axons, which are the command cells for the tail flip escape response in the crayfish. 2. The lateral and medial giant axons produce PAD through a polysynaptic interneuronal pathway. The response has a relatively long intraganglionic latency (7--11 ms), and command-evoked PAD can be recorded in ganglia from which the giant axons have been experimentally disconnected. 3. The final neurons of the pathway that delivers inhibition are few in number and extensive in distribution; most appear to be common to lateral and medial giant pathways. 4. At least some of the inhibitory interneurons have axons in the interganglionic connectives and probably produce both presynaptic and postsynaptic inhibition. 5. Stimulation of the lateral, but not the medial, giant axons causes a small, short-latency deplorization that is stable at high repetition rates. This small potential can be accounted for by transmission across known electrical synapses between mechanosensory afferents and the lateral giants in each abdominal ganglion. 6. Repetitive stimulation of the lateral giant axons causes substantial augmentation of PAD, apparently through recruitment of additional interneurons. PAD evoked by a single medial giant (MG) stimulus is generally much larger than that elicited by a single lateral giant (LG) spike. However, MG-PAD summates little and so the maximum PAD deltaV reached during repetitive firing is equivalent for the two types of giant axons. 7. Iontophoresis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) into the ganglionic neuropil depolarizes the primary afferents and blocks activity in neurons that have axons in the interganglionic connective. 8. The extrapolated PAD reversal potential and pharmacological studies suggest that a GABA-mediated chloride conductance increase is involved in the production of PAD.

Tail-flip mechanism and size-dependent kinematics of escape swimming in the brown shrimp crangon crangon

1998 ◽  
Vol 201 (11) ◽  
pp. 1771-1784 ◽  
Author(s):  
SA Arnott ◽  
DM Neil ◽  
AD Ansell
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Body Position ◽  
Maximum Velocity ◽  
Brown Shrimp ◽  
Centre Of Mass ◽  
Crangon Crangon ◽  
Size Dependent ◽  
Habitat Specialisation ◽  
Tail Flip ◽  
Kinematic Properties

Tail-flip escape swimming by the brown shrimp Crangon crangon has been investigated across a range of body lengths (11-69 mm) using high-speed video analysis. This has revealed several novel aspects of the tail-flip mechanism when compared with that of other decapod crustaceans that have been studied. (i) The pattern of body flexion in C. crangon produces movement of the cephalothorax as well as the abdomen about the centre of mass. (ii) Shrimps form a 'head-fan' with their antennal scales, in addition to the tail-fan formed by their uropods, apparently for generating thrust during tail-flips. (iii) Shrimps typically swim on their side rather than in an upright body position. It is suggested that these features may be interlinked and derive from habitat specialisation. The kinematic properties of tail-flips were found to vary with shrimp size. As shrimp body length increased, the rate of body flexion and re-extension decreased whilst the duration of tail-flips increased. Mean (and maximum) velocity estimates ranged between 0.4 m s-1 (0.7 m s-1) and 1.1 m s-1 (1.8 m s-1) for shrimps of different sizes. The combined effects of escape behaviour and size-dependent variability in tail-flip kinematics will have important implications with regard to predation risk.

AGONISTIC CONTESTS IN MALE FORM I CAMBARUS BARTONII BARTONII (FABRICIUS, 1798) (DECAPODA, CAMBARIDAE) CRAYFISH AND A COMPARISON WITH CONTESTS OF THE SAME TYPE IN CAMBARUS ROBUSTUS GIRARD, 1852

Crustaceana ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 72 (9) ◽  
pp. 1079-1091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radu Cornel Guiasu ◽  
David Dunham
Keyword(s):  
Related Species ◽  
Grand Nombre ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Tail Flip

AbstractDuring contests between evenly size-matched Cambarus bartonii bartonii crayfish males of reproductive form (Form I), the eventual winners performed significantly more total initiation acts, Lunge and Claws Raised initiation behaviours than the eventual losers. There were no significant differences between the numbers of Ambivalent Contact initiation acts and tail flip escape behaviours, respectively, performed by the winners and the losers. During intraspecific, intra-form contests, C. b. bartonii Form I males used the same three main types of initiation acts as Form I males of the closely related species Cambarus robustus. The highly aggressive Lunge initiation act plays a much more important role in the establishment of the dominant-subordinate relationship in the C. robustus intraspecific, intra-form Form I contests than in the C. b. bartonii contests of the same type. The eventual C. b. bartonii losers were considerably less submissive in the intraspecific contests in comparison to the interspecific contests against C. robustus. The decline in both the number of fights and the time spent fighting, which accompanied the establishment of the dominant-subordinate relationship in the C. robustus intraspecific contests, did not take place during the C. b. bartonii intraspecific contests. Pendant les confrontations entre ecrevisses males de taille assortie de l'espece Cambarus bartonii bartonii, appartenant a la forme reproductive (Forme I), les gagnants eventuels accomplissent de facon significative un plus grand nombre total d'actes d'engagement ("Lunge" et "Claws Raised") que les perdants eventuels. Il n'y avait pas de differences significatives entre les nombres des actes d'engagement "Ambivalent Contact" et de degagement "en coup de queue", respectivement, accomplis par les gagnants et les perdants. Pendant les confrontations intraspecifiques, intraformes, les males de C. b. bartonii utilisaient les trois memes types principaux d'actes d'engagement que les males Forme I de l'espece tres proche Cambarus robustus. L'acte d'engagement hautement agressif "Lunge" joue un role beaucoup plus important dans l'etablissement de la relation dominant-domine dans les confrontations intraspecifiques, intraformes Forme I, chez C. robustus, que dans les confrontations de meme type chez C. b. bartonii. Les eventuels perdants de C. b. bartonii etaient considerablement moins soumis dans les combats intraspecifiques que dans les combats interspecifiques contre C. robustus. Le declin, a la fois dans le nombre des combats et dans le temps passe a combattre, qui accompagnait l'etablissement de la relation dominant-domine dans les rencontres intraspecifiques chez C. robustus, n'intervenait pas pendant les rencontres intraspecifiques chez C. b. bartonii.

Alterations in habituation of the tail flip response in epigean and troglobitic crayfish

2001 ◽  
Vol 290 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Kellie ◽  
Jarrett Greer ◽  
Robin L. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Tail Flip

The Orientation of Tail-Flip Escape Swimming in Decapod and Mysid Crustaceans

1995 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas M. Neil ◽  
Alan D. Ansell
Keyword(s):  
Sagittal Plane ◽  
Longitudinal Axis ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Fishing Gear ◽  
Crangon Crangon ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Giant Fibre ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Abdominal Appendages ◽  
Tail Flip

The orientation of tail-flip escape swimming in a range of adult decapod and mysid crustaceans is reviewed. In mechanical terms, tail-flip swimming constitutes unsteady locomotion in which a single ‘appendage’, the abdomen, produces thrust by a combination of a rowing action and a final ‘squeeze’ force when the abdomen presses against the cephalothorax. In small crustaceans, a symmetrical ‘jack-knife’ tail-flip is more typical. Tail-flip flexion is controlled by two giant-fibre pathways, and also by a non-giant-neuronal network. The direction of thrust in the sagittal plane, and hence the elevation, translation and rotation of the tail-flip are dependent upon the point of stimulation and on the giant-fibre pathway activated. The laterality of the stimulus also affects the orientation of swimming, which is directed away from the point of stimulation. In large decapods such as the lobsters Nephrops norvegicus and Jasus lalandii steering is produced by asym-metrical movements of various abdominal appendages, and by rotation of the abdomen about the cephalothorax. In slipper lobsters the flattened antennae provide steering surfaces. In smaller decapods, such as the brown shrimp Crangon crangon, and in mysids, such as Praunus flexuosus, steering is effected by a rapid rotation of the whole body about its longitudinal axis during the initial stages of tail-flip flexion. The effectiveness of tail-flip swimming is considered in the context of predator-prey interactions under natural conditions and in relation to artificial threats from fishing gear.

scholarly journals SIZE LIMITS IN ESCAPE LOCOMOTION OF CARRIDEAN SHRIMP

1989 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 245-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
THOMAS L. DANIEL ◽  
EDGAR MEYHÖFER
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Relative Length ◽  
The Body ◽  
Drag Forces ◽  
Aquatic Locomotion ◽  
Angular Momenta ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Tail Flip ◽  
Size Limits ◽  
Thrust Forces

Escape locomotion of the common dock shrimp, Pandalus danae Stimpson, is the result of a rapid flexion of the abdomen that lasts approximately 30 ms. The hydrodynamic forces that result from this motion lead to body accelerations in excess of 100ms−2 and body rotations of about 75°. We examined the mechanics and kinematics of this mode of locomotion with both experimental and theoretical approaches. Using a system of differential equations that rely on conservation of both linear and angular momenta, we develop predictions for body movements, thrust forces and muscle stresses associated with escape locomotion. The predicted movements of the body agree to within 10 % with data from high-speed ciné-photography for body translations and rotations. The thrust from rapid tail flexion is dominated by accelerational forces and by the force required to squeeze fluid out of the gap created by the cephalothorax and the abdomen at the end of tail flexion. This squeeze force overwhelms any propulsive drag forces that arise from the tail-flip. Using the theoretical analysis, we identify two additional features about unsteady, rotational aquatic locomotion. First, as either the relative length of the propulsive appendage increases or the absolute body size increases, rotational motions become disproportionately greater than translational motions, and escape performance decays. Second, if muscle stresses developed during escape cannot exceed the maximum isometric stress, there is a unique body length (6 cm) that maximizes the distance travelled during the escape event.

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