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
The shape of the body varies, owing to the greater or less development
of the lower part of the prosoma, the greater or less distance of the
first from the second pair of cirri, and of the mouth from the adductor
scutorum muscle, (Pl. IX, fig. 4, and Pl. IV, 8 _a´_). In all the
genera, the body is much flattened. I may here mention a few particulars
about the muscular system. One of the largest muscular masses is formed
by the adductor scutorum, and by the muscles which surround in a double
layer (the fasciæ being oblique to each other) the whole of the upper
part of the prosoma. From under the adductor, a pair of delicate muscles
runs to the basal edge of the labrum, so as to retract the whole mouth,
and two other pair to the integument between the mouth and the adductor,
so as to fold it: again, there are other delicate muscles in some (for
instance in _Lepas Hillii_) if not in all the Lepadidæ, crossing each
other in the most singular loops, and serving apparently to fold the
membrane between the occludent edges of the scuta. Within the prosoma
there is a strong adductor muscle, running straight from side to side,
for the purpose, as it appears, of flattening the body. The thorax, on
the dorsal and ventral surfaces, is well furnished with straight and
oblique muscles (without striæ), which straighten and curl up this part
of the body. The muscles running into the pedicels of the cirri, cross
each other on the ventral surface of the thorax; the muscles within the
rami are attached to the upper segments of the pedicels. Finally, I may
remark that the whole of the body and the cirri are capable of many
diversified movements.
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