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
_Upper Latera_, flat, irregularly oval, with an almost rectangular
shoulder under the basal angle of the terga; in area, about one third
larger than the largest valve of the lower whorl; the exact degree of
elongation of the oval figure varies a little. Umbo seated a little
above the central point.
_Lower Whorl_,--_Rostral Latera_, nearly twice as long as broad, lying
under the basal margins of the scuta: umbo seated over the rostrum;
opposite end, towards which the valve widens either sensibly or but
little, is either square or rounded; in area, less than any of the other
valves, excepting the rostrum; in breadth, equalling either half or one
third of the height of the infra-median latera; growth, directed chiefly
towards the infra-median latera. The freely-projecting umbo is about one
sixth part of the entire length of the valve.
_Infra-median Latera_, rather larger than the carinal latera; their
shape varies from elongated pentagonal with the angles rounded, to oval,
with the longer axis directed upwards. The umbo is seated a little above
the middle of the basal margin, so that there is some little growth
downwards, but the main growth is upwards. The upper point generally
stands a little above that of the carinal latera.
_Carinal Latera_, flat, less in area than the infra-median latera; basal
margin nearly straight; carinal margin slightly hollowed out, terminal
margin arched and protuberant. The umbones of the two valves almost
touch each other under the middle of the carina; main growth towards the
infra-median latera and upwards; umbones projecting not above one fifth
of the entire length of the valve.
_Peduncle_, much flattened, rarely as long as the capitulum, with the
upper end nearly as wide as it; the lower end is either blunt, or tapers
to a very fine point. The calcareous scales are transversely elongated,
and are about four times as wide as high; their internal surfaces are
slightly concave, and their external, convex; the two ends are pointed.
Viewed internally, the scales approach in shape to rhomboids. There are,
in a medium-sized specimen, about twenty scales in each whorl, their
tips overlapping each other: the whorls are placed not very near each
other and at rather unequal distances, except round the uppermost part,
where, being in process of formation, they are packed closely together.
The membrane uniting the scales, supports numerous transverse rows of
articulated spines, varying from 1/100th to 1/500th of an inch in
length, and each furnished with a long sinuous tubulus, 1/10,000th of an
inch in diameter, running through the membrane to the underlying corium.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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