The peripheral nervous system consists of the ________ and ________ nervous systems.

A) autonomic; somatic
B) autonomic; sympathetic
C) parasympathetic; somatic
D) parasympathetic; sympathetic

The peripheral nervous system consists of two main subdivisions: the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles, and the autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary functions such as heart rate, digestion, and breathing. The autonomic nervous system is further divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Therefore, the correct answer is A: autonomic and somatic nervous systems.