The taxonomy of invertebrate neurons: a plea for a new field

It is generally accepted that the 'identified cell' concept and its practical application are responsible for the appeal of invertebrate preparations (and perhaps in the near future of certain vertebrate preparations too) for general neurobiology. The considerable number of neurons contained in many such preparations, and the number of investigations to which they are subjected, has led to a minor crisis: it is increasingly hard to determine whether a given neuron has been previously described, and if so, under what name. The taxonomy of identified interneurons requires a far more serious and rigorous approach than has so far been the rule. The main proposals made in this article are for the application of the normal procedural rules of classical organism taxonomy, which are highly applicable to the neural situation, and for a standardized nomenclature. Also recommended is the establishment of networked computer data bases for each of the popular invertebrate preparations (e.g. locusts, leeches) and of international committees for their supervision, and the increased use of confocal fluorescence microscopy to increase the amount of anatomical data which can be gathered from a normal physiological preparation.