The visceral nerves of Octopus

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Abstract
The gastric ganglion of cephalopods is connected with the central nervous system by three pathways: (1) the sympathetic nerves; (2) from the visceral nerves through the rectal and intestinal nerves; (3) from the visceral nerves through the abdominal (hepatic capsule) nerves. None of these are direct efferent pathways, but proceed through plexuses innervating the walls of the viscera along which they run. The ink sac and duct are innervated by branches from both visceral nerves. The innervation of the hearts, renocoele, gonocoele and ctenidia are described. The oviducal gland (spermatheca) contains a very rich plexus of nerve fibres and cells, presumably regulating the rate of fertilization and laying of the eggs. The folded epithelium around the opening of the female duct is richly innervated. The male duct is innervated only along the ridge of the vas deferens; the spermatophores are therefore formed by ciliary action only partly under nervous control. The innervation of the penis is described; there is no special afferent plexus around the aperture. The pericardial body is very richly innervated and may provide a system involved in regulation of circulation and/or excretion. The walls of the pericardial and genito-pericardial canals also contain many nerve fibres. The nerve fibres of the branchiae not only innervate the muscles but also make an elaborate plexus beneath the epithelium (presumably afferent). The nerves of the viscera of octopus thus resemble those of vertebrates in that: (a) they contain very numerous fibres, (b) these form plexuses, (c) there are many peripheral nerve cells. The peripheral centres such as the gastric ganglia and ganglia of the oviducal gland receive no direct through trunks from the central nervous system and it may be that they operate mainly as autonomous pacemakers or reflex centres.

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