With a proximity model, tests of two sites showed no rise in cluster calls from early maps to adults for 162 shared C. elegans connections

We tested whether a rise in synapse clustering calls remained when site counts were fixed. We used the released spatial data for eight C. elegans brain maps. The primary panel had 162 directed neuron connections tested in every map. Early maps were D1 and D2, at about 0 and 5 hours after hatching. Adult maps were D7 and D8, both at about 50 hours. The released call rate rose from 13.27% to 23.77%. With two sites per test, the expected call rate was 8.71% early and 7.77% in adults. The observed mean spacing divided by the exact reference mean changed from 0.806 to 0.837. Lower ratios mean tighter spacing. The reference sampled distinct skeleton points under the source proximity rule. A wider panel, merged repeated positions, a larger reference sample, and other controls kept the matched count contrast near zero. Source class resamples gave a range of -3.53 to +1.33 percentage points for that contrast. This range describes connection composition, not variation across animals. All 17 source inputs matched the licensed archive. Independent shortest path checks and a clean numerical rebuild passed. The package has figures, code, derived distances and ranks, source hashes, and repeat commands. The result applies to shared connections and the stated position model. It does not test new connections, neural function, or a population age trend.

connectome · Caenorhabditis elegans · synapse clustering · development · sample count · spatial statistics · reproducible research