In the vast majority of the polyzoa, marine as well as freshwater,
movement is practically confined to the polypide, the external walls of
the zooecium being rigid, the zooecia being closely linked together and
the whole zoarium permanently fixed to some extraneous object. In a few
freshwater species belonging to the genera _Cristatella_, _Lophopus_,
_Lophopodella_ and _Pectinatella_, the whole zoarium has the power of
progression. This power is best developed in _Cristatella_, which glides
along with considerable rapidity on a highly specialized "sole" provided
with abundant mucus and representing all that remains of the ectocyst.
It is by no means clear how the zoaria of the other genera move from one
place to another, for the base is not modified, so far as can be seen,
for the purpose, and the motion is extremely slow. It is probable,
however, that progression is effected by alternate expansions and
contractions of the base, and in _Lophopodella_ (fig. 32), which moves
rather less slowly than its allies, the anterior part of the base is
raised at times from the surface along which it is moving. The whole
zoarium can be released in this way and occasionally drops through the
water, and is perhaps carried by currents from one place to another in
so doing.
So far as the polypides are concerned, the most important movements are
those which enable the lophophore and the adjacent parts to be extruded
from and withdrawn into the zooecium. The latter movement is executed by
means of the retractor muscles, which by contracting drag the extruded
parts back towards the posterior end of the endocyst, but it is not by
any means certain how the extrusion of the lophophore is brought about.
In most ctenostomes the action of the parietal muscles doubtless assists
in squeezing it out when the retractor and parieto-vaginal muscles
relax, but Oka states that protrusion can be effected in the
phylactolæmata even after the zooecium has been cut open. Possibly some
hydrostatic action takes place, however, and allowance must always be
made for the natural resilience of the inverted portion of the ectocyst.
Even when the polypide is retracted, muscular action does not cease, for
frequent movements, in some cases apparently rhythmical, of the
alimentary canal may be observed, and in _Hislopia_ contraction of the
gizzard takes place at irregular intervals.
When the lophophore is expanded, the tentacles in favourable
circumstances remain almost still, except for the movements of their
cilia; but if a particle of matter too large for the mouth to swallow or
otherwise unsuitable is brought by the currents of the cilia towards it,
individual tentacles can be bent down to wave it away and similar
movements are often observed without apparent cause.
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