Aboral view of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi (IMAGE)
Caption
On this photograph, an adult specimen of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi is seen from above. In the centre of the image, it is possible to distinguish the aboral organ, a complex sensory structure. New research published by the Burkhardt group at the Michael Sars Centre, University of Bergen, shows that the aboral organ is comparable to an elementary brain and suggests that centralized nervous systems may have appeared earlier in evolution than previously thought.
Credit
Alexandre Jan, Michael Sars Centre/University of Bergen
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