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The tap withdrawal reflex in Caenorhabditis elegans demonstrates various forms of nonassociative learning. A first step in determining the cellular mechanisms of this learning is to identify the neuronal circuitry that underlies this reflex. Studies by Chalfie et al. (1985) have defined the touch-circuit that mediates the response to a stimulus related to tap--a light touch. We used the touch circuit as a starting point in the identification of the tap withdrawal circuitry. Here we report the effects of lesions of identified neurons on the tap withdrawal reflex. Ablations of the sensory neurons and interneurons of the touch circuit produce effects on the tap withdrawal response that generally confirm and expand upon the roles of these cells in mechanosensory integration as proposed by Chalfie et al. (1985). However, no role for the LUA interneurons could be identified in the production of the tap withdrawal response. Furthermore …