THE PRESENCE OF DECAPOD-PIGMENT-ACTIVATING SUBSTANCES IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE CIRRIPEDIA

Abstract

1. A Uca black-pigment-dispersing substance has been extracted from the nervous systems of three genera of barnacles, Balanus eburneus, Chelonibia patula and Lepas sp. This substance is heat-stable and can be inactivated by trypsin. 2. The Uca black-pigment-dispersing substance from Balanus eburneus is active in a dilution of 1/243. This activity is comparable to that known to be produced by a similar extract of supraesophageal ganglia of Uca pugilator. 3. The nervous system extracts of these barnacles do not contain Palaemonetes red-pigment-concentrating material, but do contain a small amount of Palaemonetes red-pigment-dispersing material. 4. Palaemonetes distal retinal pigment-light-adapting principle was demonstrated to be present in small quantity but distal retinal pigment-dark-adapting principle was not shown to be present. 5. The relationship of these findings to some of our knowledge of crustacean hormones is discussed.