| The purpose of this research was to use peripheral retrograde labeling to identify the precise location in which lower motor neurons project from the brainstem in order to innervate the muscles of the finger in the American bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus. Retrograde labeling of a lateral nerve in the third digit of the forelimb resulted in labeling of the motor neurons of spinal nerves II, III and IV. Apparent labeling of the hypoglossal nucleiimplicatesmotor control of the fingers as being potentially more closely related to feeding behaviors than previously believed. These findings may serve as a stepping-stone toward understanding anatomical organization of tongue and forelimb innervation, and by extension, the physiological complexities of anuran feeding behavior. Key words: coordination, retrograde, lower motor neuron, American bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus, hypoglossal nuclei, motor control, feeding behavior, innervation. |