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Abstract

1. The structure of one class of giant
tangential neurons in the lobula plate of Calliphora, the "Vertical System (VS)" has been investigated
by light microscopy. Different staining and reconstruction
procedures were employed to ensure that all existing
VS-neurons are revealed.
2. There are 11 VS-cells in a
characteristic, and constant arrangement (Fig .2). Each cell
covers a particular area of the lobula plate, i.e., a
distinct area of the retinotopic input array (Table 2), and
therefore has a distinct receptive field.
3. Although VS-cells in general tend to
occupy the posterior surface of the lobula plate, only three
of them (VS2-VS5) reside exclusively in this layer. The
other cells (VS1 and VS6-VS10) have bistratified dendritic
arborizations (Fig. 6), whose dorsal parts are apposed to
the anterior surface of the lobula plate.
4. The arrangement, territory and
stratification of any given VS-cell is largely invariant in
different individuals, whereas, the branching pattern may
vary considerably (Fig. 3).
5. The present results provide the
framework for physiological studies of the role of
individual VS-cells in movement perception, and their
involvement in the control of particular locomotor
behaviour.