Motion analysis of escape movements evoked by tactile stimulation in the cockroach Periplaneta americana

The escape behavior of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, has provided a large amount of neuroethological data on the control of orientation movements. In the typical behavior, the animal responds to gentle wind puffs by turning away from the wind source and running (Camhi and Tom, 1978). However, cockroaches also escape in a directional manner in response to tactile stimuli (Comer et al. 1989, 1993). This additional category of escape response raises two important questions. Do the neural circuits for wind-and tactile-evoked escape responses converge, and if so where? At one extreme, the two behaviors may be under the control of completely separate circuits. Alternatively, the two sensory pathways could converge on a single set of controlling interneurons.