ABSTRACT
This chapter examines various parts of the insect neuroendocrine system. Two distinct but closely interconnected communication systems, the nervous system and the endocrine system, mediate insect behavior. The nervous system is electrochemical, its message being provided by nervous impulses traveling along the nerve cells. Whereas the nervous system is mainly involved in short term communication, the endocrine system functions to coordinate long term events in the life of the insect. Specialized cells called neurosecretory cells, are found throughout the insect's central nervous system, and are identified either by using a selective stain and/or by using transmission electron miscroscopy. The nerve branches from the central nervous system should pick up the most stain. A sagittal section through the central nervous system of a fly larva shows the various fused regions and the orientation of the neuron cell bodies at the periphery.
