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
LEPAS DORSALIS. _Ellis._ Nat. Hist. Zoophytes, Tab. xv, fig. 5,
1786.
LITHOLEPAS DE MONT SERRAT. _De Blainville._ Dict. des Sc. Nat.,
Plate, fig. 5, 1824.
_L. scutis terga angustè obtegentibus: carinâ intùs concavâ: rostro,
duorum aut trium squamarum subjacentium latitudinem æquante: lateribus,
squamarum quinque subjacentium longitudinem æquantibus, superficie
internâ angustè ellipticâ: pedunculi squamis superioribus verticillum
secundum minus duplo superantibus._
Scuta, narrowly overlapping the terga: carina internally concave:
rostrum as wide as two or three of the subjacent scales: latera with
their internal surfaces narrowly elliptical, as long as five of the
subjacent scales: upper scales of the peduncle less than twice as large
as those in the second whorl.
Mandibles, with twice as many pectinations between the first and second
main teeth, as between the second and third teeth. Maxillæ without a
notch, edge nearly straight, and spines very numerous: caudal appendages
exceeding, by half, the length of the pedicel of the sixth cirrus.
Barbadoes, West Indies; Venezuela; Honduras; imbedded in
limestone; Mus. Brit. Cuming and Stutchbury.
The state of preservation of the valves in different specimens varies
greatly; generally only two or three, or even only the last-formed
shelly layer, is preserved, the upper ones having scaled off; in a few
young specimens, however, all the layers were perfect. The carina is
generally better preserved than the other valves, and hence the upper
part usually projects freely; in one specimen no less than ten zones of
growth were preserved in the carina, whilst the other valves consisted
of only three: the terga generally project rather more than the scuta.
As each growth-layer is thick, if the scaling process had not taken
place, all the valves would have projected greatly. The little teeth lie
close together on the prominent serrated rims, on each zone of growth.
The internal surfaces of the valves are roughened with small imbricated
points. Exteriorly the valves are covered with yellow membrane, with
rows, corresponding with each zone of growth, of very minute, yellow,
horny spines, generally having their tips bent over, and so made
hook-shaped. These spines are less than 1/600th of an inch in length.
_Scuta_, triangular; internally concave, with a large depression for the
adductor muscle; there is the usual small roughened internal knob, or
tooth, at the rostral angle of both the right and left hand valves.
Tergal margin straight, overlapping about one third of the entire width
of the terga.
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