Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan.
Curr Opin Insect Sci. 2016 Jun;15:16-26. doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2016.02.009. Epub 2016 Feb 22.
Counterturning is a common movement pattern during orientation behavior in insects. Once male moths sense sex pheromones and then lose the input, they demonstrate zigzag movements, alternating between left and right turns, to increase the probability to contact with the pheromone plume. We summarize the anatomy and function of the neural circuit involved in pheromone orientation in the silkmoth. A neural circuit, the lateral accessory lobe (LAL), serves a role as the circuit module for zigzag movements and controls this operation using a flip-flop neural switch. Circuit design of the LAL is well conserved across species. We hypothesize that this zigzag module is utilized in a wide range of insect behavior. We introduce two examples of the potential use: orientation flight and the waggle dance in bees.
反转是昆虫在定向行为中常见的运动模式。一旦雄蛾感知到性信息素，然后失去输入，它们就会表现出之字形运动，左右交替转弯，以增加与信息素羽流接触的概率。我们总结了丝蛾中参与性信息素定向的神经回路的解剖结构和功能。一个神经回路，即侧附加叶（LAL），作为之字形运动的回路模块起作用，并使用触发器神经开关来控制这个操作。LAL 的电路设计在不同物种中是很好保守的。我们假设这个之字形模块被广泛应用于昆虫行为中。我们介绍了两个潜在用途的例子：定向飞行和蜜蜂的摇摆舞。
