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
_Nervous system._--I examined the upper part of the nervous chord, in
order to ascertain whether the infra-oesophagean ganglion, which is of a
globulo-oblong shape, was far separated from the second ganglion; and
this I found to be the case, in accordance with the distance of the
first cirrus from the second. I may here remark, that in _S.
quadrivalvis_ I discovered the eye, which, though in all probability
really double, appeared to be single; it was situated near to the
supra-oesophageal ganglion; and this ganglion was situated near to the
adductor scutorum muscle, and at a considerable distance from the
labrum. The aperture leading into the acoustic (?) sack, is situated
much lower down than is usual (Pl. IV, fig. 8 _a´_), namely, at the
length of the pedicel of the first cirrus beneath its basal
articulation.
_Generative system._--The specimens here described, of which I examined
six, are exclusively female; they have no trace of the external,
probosciformed penis, or of the two great vesiculæ seminales, or of the
testes: on the other hand, the ovarian tubes within the peduncle are
developed in the usual manner, and owing to the large size of the ova,
are of large diameter, and hence very distinct: I detected, also, the
true ovaria at the upper edge of the stomach.
MALE. Plate V, figs. 1-8.
Of the above-described _Ibla Cumingii_ I dissected six specimens, four
from the Philippine Archipelago,[47] and two from the Burmah Empire, and
none of them, as we have just seen, possessed the probosciformed penis,
the vesiculæ seminales, or the testes, so conspicuous in other
Cirripedes; on the other hand, all were furnished with the usual
branching ovarian tubes and sometimes with ova, and consequently were
unquestionably of the female sex. Within each of these specimens there
was attached within the sack, in a nearly central line, at the rostral
end, (Pl. IV, fig. 8 _a´_, _h_, magnified five times,) a flattened,
purplish, worm-like little body, projecting about the 1/20th of an inch:
in one of the six individuals, there was a second similar little
creature attached at the carinal end of the sack. Before giving the
reasons which I think conclusively prove that these little animals are
the Males of the ordinary form of the _Ibla Cumingii_, it will be
convenient to describe their structure in detail.
[47] I am deeply indebted to the liberality and kindness of Mr.
Cuming, in allowing me to cut up four specimens of this new
species; and to Dr. Gould, of Boston, U. S., for the examination
of the Burmese specimens.
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