This lab revolves around this cricket circal system. You will mount and dissect a cricket, place hook electrodes under its abdominal ventral nerve cord, and perform experiments which reveal aspects of sensory integration. The accompanying videos present a scientific paper that describes this system, and the methodology of how to prepare the crickets for the dissection. You should maintain a detailed record of your efforts, and present computer based presentation of your work at the end of the period allotted Lab 1. This presentation can be in power point, a web site, video, or a combination.
Insects have both skeletal muscle and smooth muscle.
Insect smooth muscle, however, is capable of generating self propagating action potentials. An excellent example of such a muscle is the dorsal heart or dorsal vessel. It may be bound to the dorsal wall or suspended from it by elastic filaments. Anteriorly it leaves the dorsal wall and is more closely associated with the alimentary canal, passing under the brain just above the esophagus. Posteriorly, it is closed.