TY - JOUR T1 - Neuroendocrine Control of Ecdysis in Silkmoths JF - Science JO - Science SP - 1624 LP - 1626 DO - 10.1126/science.167.3925.1624 VL - 167 IS - 3925 AU - Truman, James W. AU - Riddiford, Lynn M. Y1 - 1970/03/20 UR - http://science.sciencemag.org/content/167/3925/1624.abstract N2 - An adult moth sheds its pupal skin only during a specific period of the day. The brain is necessary for the synchronization of this behavior with the environmental photoperiod. This function is fully preserved when all the brain's nervous connections are severed or when a "loose" brain is transplanted into the tip of the abdomen. By appropriate experiments it was possible to show that the entire mechanism is brain-centered. The components include a photoreceptor mechanism, a clock, and a neuroendocrine output. The clock-controlled release of the hormone acts on the central nervous system to trigger a species-specific behavior pattern which culminates in ecdysis. ER -