Functional Characterization and Anatomical Identification of Motion Sensitive Neurons in the Lobula plate of the Blowfly Calliphora erythrocephala

Abstract

8 classes of homo- and heterolateral wide field neurons of the Lobula plate of Calliphora erythrocephala were investigated electrophysiologically and identified by intracellular injection of procion yellow. All recorded neurons were motion-sensitive. Some of the homolateral neurons respond only with graded potentials to visual stimulation; all heterolateral elements generate spike potentials. Connections between identified neurons were investigated by means of simultaneous double recordings. The described neurons are compared with units known from earlier extracellular studies.