The morphology of the central nervous system of the barnacle, Semibalanus cariosus (Pallas)

The central nervous system of the sessile barnacle, Semibalanus cariosus (Pallas), has been studied with the particular aim of determining the locations of neuron somata in relation to peripheral nerves. This was accomplished by tracing peripheral nerves using dissection and methylene blue staining techniques, histological methods, and by permitting cobaltous chloride to diffuse via axons into ganglia ("backfilling"). The neuron maps resulting from the study reveal some well-defined sub-systems, a considerable degree of functional clumping of neuron somata, and some unexpected projections of neurons in the CNS. Neurophysiological studies based on these findings are in progress.