The domesticated silkmoth (Bombyx mori L.) belongs to the butterflies and moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). Its larva is known as silkworm and feeds on the leaves of the mulberry tree (Morus). Silk is produced from the cocoon of the pupa. There are various moth species belonging to different families that can in principle be used for silk production. The wild ancestor of the domesticated silkmoth is thought to be the wild silkmoth (Bombyx mandarina Moore). The silkmoth is an excellent model system for investigating the relation between the nervous system and behaviour. In Japan, the silkmoth is a National Bioresource. The first sex pheromone whose chemical structure was identified is bombykol, one of the two components of the pheromone blend emitted by female B. mori.
　The silkmoth is an important system for (1) brain science, (2) commercial use of natural products, and (3) education.

■ Education

・ Lectures & courses (brain/behaviour)

・ EMG amplifier (pdf, Japanese)

・ SPP teaching faculty workshop (Japanese)

■ Silkmoth behaviour

・Odour-source orientation

・Pheromones

■ Nervous system structure and function

・Insect nervous system

・Insect brain and neurons

・Structure of insect neurons

・Methods for investigating neurons

■ Brain function

・ Structure of the silkmoth brain

　　　Protocerebrum
　　　　・ Optic lobe (J) 　
　　　　・ Mushroom body
　　　　・ Central complex
　　　　・ Lateral protocerebrum
　　　　・ Lateral accessory lobe

　　　Derutocerebrum
　　　　・ Antenna　
　　　　・ Antennal lobe　　　 ・

　 　　Tritocerebrum

　　　　　

■ Odorant receptor mechanisms

・ Odorant receptors (J)

・ General odour receptors (J)

・ Pheromone receptors (J)

■ Pheromone-processing neural pathways

・ Pheromone-processing circuitry (J)

■ Mechanisms of odorant identification

・ Overview (J)

・ Odour discrimination in neural circuits (J)

・ Modeling odour discrimination (J)

■ Neural mechanisms of odour source localisation

・ Odour-source localisation behaviour (J)

・ Neural mechanisms (LAL-VPC) (J)

・ Model of neural mechanisms in LAL-VPC (J)

■ Robotics and insects

・ Insect-robot fusion system: roadmap

・ Robot controlled by a brain model

・ Silkmoth-steered robot

・ Robot control through silkmoth brain activity

　　

■ Brain science

・ Next-generation supercomputer brain simulation (J)

・ Advanced methods to control behaviour (J)

・ Repair of neural circuits (J)

■ Other material

・ Glossary (J)

・ References (J)

・ Reference Book (Japanese)

・ National Bioresouce: silkworm (Japanese)

・ Silkmoth links (J)

■ Applied aspects

・The power of insects

・Odorant sensor (Japanese)

・Insect model based robot