Fig. 1
Dynamical network formed by collective nematode behaviour. a Network pattern generated by C. elegans population cultured in a glass bottle. The network was formed on the lateral surface of the glass bottle. Scale bar, 10 mm. b A magnified image of a. Scale bar, 2 mm. c–f Dynamical network pattern. The shapes of compartments were not fixed. Scale bar, 1 mm. g Network formation on a plastic substrate. Scale bar, 4 mm. h, i The network was formed on agar medium by living worms (h) but not by dead worms (i). The initial worm concentration was 1500 worms μl−1 (300,000 worms in 200 μl of water). Dead worms were prepared by incubating worm suspensions at 70 °C for 10 min before the assay. Since living worms actively dispersed as the water seeped into the medium, the number of worms forming the network structure in h is smaller than the number of dead worms in i. Scale bar, 4 mm
