AbstractGalanin is a 29‐amino acid peptide widely distributed in the central nervous system of vertebrates. The organization of galaninergic systems is well known in teleosts, the most advanced actinopterygians, but no data are available on primitive bony fish. To extend the evolutionary analysis of galaninergic systems we studied the distribution of galanin‐like immunoreactive (GAL‐ir) cells and fibers in the sturgeon brain, since chondrosteans are among the most primitive extant actinopterygians. Double‐immunolabeling experiments were performed to compare the distribution of galanin with that of neurophysin, tyrosine hydroxylase, and serotonin. Numerous GAL‐ir cells of cerebrospinal fluid‐contacting (CSF‐C) type were found in the ventral telencephalon, preoptic area, and in the tuberal and caudal hypothalamus. The distribution of GAL‐ir elements in the sturgeon brain shows many similarities to that observed in other vertebrates, but also important differences, such as the abundance of GAL‐ir CSF‐C cells, which appear to be a primitive characteristic. GAL‐ir neurons observed in the sturgeon telencephalic hemispheres perhaps represent the basic organization of common ancestors of bony fishes and tetrapods. In the preoptic‐hypophyseal system, GAL‐ir cells appeared to be related not only with neurophysin‐expressing neurons (in the tuberal hypothalamus) but also with serotoninergic and catecholamines‐synthesizing neurons (in preoptic and tuberal nuclei). Numerous GAL‐ir fibers were observed in the median eminence and neural lobe of the hypophysis, indicating that galanin may play a role in the modulation of hypophyseal secretion. GAL‐ir neurons were absent from the sturgeon brainstem, suggesting that their presence in other vertebrates could represent an evolutionary recent acquisition. J. Comp. Neurol. 487:54–74, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.