Singleness of action in the interactions of feeding with other behaviors in Hermissenda crassicornis.

Singleness of action in the interactions of feeding behavior with other behaviors was studied in Hermissenda crassicornis. In Experiment 1 withdrawal of the oral veil from a tactile stimulus was inhibited during feeding elicited by application of a mussel homogenate to hungry animals. Rolling-over behavior was also inhibited during feeding. When animals were satiated, thereby abolishing the feeding response to mussel homogenate, withdrawal occurred in the presence of the food stimulus; however, rolling-over behavior was still inhibited. In Experiments 2 and 3 it was demonstrated that spontaneous locomotion was also inhibited in hungry animals by food stimuli; however, satiated animals ignored the food stimulus and continued to locomote. Both biting behavior and the suppressive effect of food stimuli on locomotion were also observed in dissected anterior ends of Hermissenda, suggesting that the mechanisms underlying the interaction of feeding with other behaviors may be accessible to study in the nervous system of reduced preparations.