Colonial conduction systems in the Anthozoa: Octocorallia

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Abstract
The octocorals Alcyonium digitatum, Pennatula phosphorea and Virgularía mirabilis each have a through-conducting nerve net. The nerve net demonstrated electrophysiologically may well be the same as that previously shown by the use of histological techniques. It exhibits both facilitation and defacilitation in the rate of conduction of pulses. The distance of spread of nerve net activity is not limited by the number of stimuli applied. The nerve net controls fast muscle contractions; the frequency of pulses is important in determining which muscles contract and in which sequence. The nerve net is ‘spontaneously’ active. A previously undescribed slow system has been identified in Pennatula. It has many of the properties of slow systems in sea anemones and may well be ectodermal. It is suggested that multiple conduction systems are of common occurrence in the Anthozoa.