A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia (Volume 1 of 2): The Lepadidae; Or, Pedunculated Cirripedes — John Shaqi
A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia (Volume 1 of 2): The Lepadidae; Or, Pedunculated CirripedesDarwin, Charles
Science
A Monograph on the Sub-class Cirripedia (Volume 1 of 2): The Lepadidae; Or, Pedunculated Cirripedes
Darwin, Charles
Cirripedia; Lepadidae
difference: in the cases in which, at first, the proboscis is absent, it
would probably soon be developed. I cannot but suppose that the inwardly
directed spines on the bases of the two posterior legs, which are so
rapidly developed, serve some important end, namely, as organs of
prehension for the larvæ, like the mandibles and maxillæ of mature
Cirripedes, for seizing their prey, and conveying it to their moveable
mouths, conveniently seated for this purpose.
The first pair of legs answers, as I believe from reasons hereafter to
be assigned, to the outer pair of maxillipods in the higher crustacea;
and the other four legs to the first two pair of thoracic limbs in these
same crustacea; this being the case, the highly remarkable position of
the mouth in the larva, either between the bases of the two posterior
pair of legs, or at least posteriorly to the first pair, together with
the probable functions of the spiny points springing from the basal
segments of the two hinder pair of true thoracic limbs, forcibly bring
to mind the anomalous structure of the mouth being situated in the
middle of the under side of the thorax, in Limulus,--that most ancient
of crustaceans, and therefore one likely to exhibit a structure now
embryonic in other orders. I will only further remark, that I suspect
that the truncation of the anterior end of the carapace, has been
effected by the segments having been driven inwards, and consequently,
that the larger antennæ within the lateral horns, though standing more
in front than the little approximate pair, are normally the posterior
of the two pair. According to Milne Edwards, the posterior pair are
normally seated outside the anterior pair, and this is the case with
those within the lateral horns.
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