Electrically Coupled, Photosensitive Neurons Control Swimming in a Jellyfish

Abstract

Central neurons in Polyorchis (Hydromedusae) were impaled with microelectrodes, and conventional resting potentials were obtained. The waveform of action potentials recorded concurrently with swimming events shows evidence of electrotonic coupling between these neurons, which are also directly photosensitive and receive excitatory synaptic input from other conduction systems.