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Structure of the Cord
A closer view of the anterior cord of the horseshoe crab shows two main pairs of peripheral nerves-- the cutaneous and gustatory nerves. The anterior pair (the cutaneous, shown in yellow) is the more complex; it is a non-ganglionated nerve and contains general cutaneous, somatic motor, cardiac, and viceral or intestinal elements.
The posterior (gustatory) nerve is larger, but less complex. It supplies the gill muscles and sense organs of the corresponding appendage. Most of its elements are sensory. It is a neural ganglionated nerve, comparable with the ganglionated root of a vertebrate spinal nerve.
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