Control of rhythmic behaviour by a hierarchy of linked oscillators in crustacea.

In Homarus, the central pattern generators for the rhythmic motor activities of the gastric teeth and the pyloric chamber are located in the stomatogastric ganglion. It is shown that independent gastric and pyloric oscillators are also contained in higher nervous centres (the commissural ganglia) and provide a phasic rhythmic input to the stomatogastric pattern generators. This demonstrates that rhythmic behaviour can be organized by a hierarchy of linked oscillators each capable of producing the rhythm.