Like stomatogastric activity in crustaceans, vocalization in teleosts and frogs, and locomotion in mammals, the electric organ discharge (EOD) of weakly electric fish is a rhythmic and stereotyped electromotor pattern. The EOD, which functions in both perception and communication, is controlled by a two‐layered central pattern generator (CPG), the electromotor CPG, which modifies its basal output in response to environmental and social challenges. Despite major anatomo‐functional commonalities in the electromotor CPG across electric fish species, we show that Gymnotus omarorum and Brachyhypopomus gauderio have evolved divergent neural processes to transiently modify the CPG outputs through descending fast neurotransmitter inputs to generate communication signals. We also present two examples of electric behavioral displays in which it is possible to separately analyze the effects of neuropeptides (mid‐term modulation) and gonadal steroid hormones (long‐term modulation) upon the CPG. First, the nonbreeding territorial aggression of G. omarorum has been an advantageous model to analyze the status‐dependent modulation of the excitability of CPG neuronal components by vasotocin. Second, the seasonal and sexually dimorphic courtship signals of B. gauderio have been useful to understand the effects of sex steroids on the responses to glutamatergic inputs in the CPG. Overall, the electromotor CPG functions in a regime that safeguards the EOD waveform. However, prepacemaker influences and hormonal modulation enable an enormous versatility and allows the EOD to adapt its functional state in a species‐, sex‐, and social context‐specific manners.

中文翻译：

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激素介导的脉冲型弱电鱼中电动CPG的调节。物种之间的共性和差异。

就像甲壳动物的胃胃活动，硬骨鱼和青蛙的发声以及哺乳动物的运动一样，弱电鱼的电子器官放电（EOD）是一种有节奏的定型电动机模式。EOD在感知和交流中都起作用，由两层中央模式发生器（CPG）控制，即电动机CPG，该CPG根据环境和社会挑战修改其基本输出。尽管在电动鱼的CPG中主要的解剖功能共有性，但我们显示了Gymnotus omarorum和Brachyhypopomus gauderio已经发展了发散的神经过程，通过递减的快速神经递质输入来瞬时修改CPG输出，以生成通信信号。我们还提供了两个电行为显示示例，可以分别分析神经肽（中期调节）和性腺甾体激素（长期调节）对CPG的影响。首先，马格鲁姆氏菌的非繁殖性侵略已经成为分析血管毒素对CPG神经元兴奋性的状态依赖性调节的有利模型。其次，B。gauderio的季节性和性二态求爱信号有助于了解性类固醇对CPG对谷氨酸能输入反应的影响。总体而言，电动机CPG的运行方式可以保护EOD波形。但是，制毒者的影响力和激素调节功能可实现巨大的多功能性，并允许EOD以特定于物种，性别和社会背景的方式适应其功能状态。