[Topical organization of somatic projections to the cerebral cortex of the seal Callorhinus ursius].

Somatotopic projections in the cerebral cortex of the fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) were determined by microelectrode recordings of the multiple unit activity. Somatosensory cortical area is restricted rostrally by postcruciate and coronal sulci, caudally by anterior suprasylvain sulcus and dorsomedially by ansate sulcus. The somatotopic map in this area is oriented in such a way that the head projection is positioned ventrolaterally and that of the hindlimb dorsomedially. The projection area of the forelimb is immersed in the coronal sulcus. Marked disproportions are observed in the projections of different parts of the soma; the head projection has a relatively large magnification factor and within it the vibrissae are presented with the largest magnification.