A piece of a colony full of larvæ was placed before midday in an
aquarium, which was kept in a shady verandah. Large numbers of larvæ
were set free almost immediately. They measured about 2 mm. in length
and were distinctly pear-shaped; each contained a pair of polypides,
which occupied a comparatively small part of the interior, the whole of
the broader half being hollow. The larvæ swam slowly, broad-end-first,
by means of the cilia with which their surface was covered, occasionally
gyrating on their long axis and always adopting an erratic course.
Towards evening they showed signs of settling down, frequently touching
the glass of the aquarium with their broad ends and sometimes remaining
still in this position for some minutes. Many attempts were, however,
made before fixation was completed, and this did not occur until after
nightfall. By next morning every larva was fixed to the glass and had
everted its two polypides. Unfortunately I was not able to trace the
development further, but young compound colonies were found in which the
secretion of the common investment had just commenced. The zoaria in
these colonies measured about 1 cm. in diameter and already contained
many polypides each.
Oka has described the development from the statoblast of the allied
Japanese species. He found that each statoblast produced in the first
instance a single polypide, and that the statoblasts, which were
produced in autumn, lay dormant through the winter and germinated in
spring. As the Sur Lake begins to undergo desiccation as soon as the
"rains" cease, the statoblasts in it probably do not germinate until the
break of the next "rains" about the middle of June. I have had dried
statoblasts in my possession for over two years. Their cellular contents
appear to be in good condition, although the cells show no signs of
development; but they have not germinated in my aquarium, in which some
of them have now been kept for more than six months.
The green cells of the common investment are peculiar bodies that
deserve further study than it has yet been possible to devote to them.
Each cell is of ovoid form, varying somewhat in size but as a rule
measuring about 0.03 × 0.008 mm. There can be no doubt that these bodies
represent a stage in the life-history of an alga[BO]. Diatoms, bacilli
and other minute plants are often present in the membrane as well as the
characteristic green cells, but do not form a constant feature of it.
[Footnote BO: Professor W. West identifies this algæ as
_Dactylococcopsis pectinatellophila_, new species. It will
be described, before the publication of this book, in the
Journ. As. Soc. Bengal (1911). Prof. West has found,
associated more or less fortuitously with _P. burmanica_,
another alga, namely _Microcystis orissica_, also a new
species.--_April 1911._]
APPENDIX TO THE VOLUME.
HINTS ON THE PREPARATION OF SPECIMENS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account