Physiology and histology of the Cubomedusæ: including Dr. F.S. Conant's notes on the physiologyBerger, E. W. (Edward William)
Science
Physiology and histology of the Cubomedusæ: including Dr. F.S. Conant's notes on the physiology
Berger, E. W. (Edward William)
Cubomedusae
I have said that the principal centers of spontaneity reside in the
radial ganglia. Upon further thought this hardly seems warranted. No
doubt, among the principal motor centers must be placed the ganglionic
masses of the clubs, and the radial ganglia, together with the homologous
interradial ganglia, represent centers of equal value. I speak of these
two sets of ganglia as homologous, since strictly speaking, they both
belong to the margin, and the clubs at whose bases they lie probably
represent modified tentacles. Conant’s experiments leave us in the
dark as to the function of these ganglia. Next in order, it would
seem, are the ganglion cells in the suspensoria, as is suggested by
the contractions of an isolated side with a portion of a suspensorium
attached. (See previous head.) While we have seen that the frenula and
the velarium can contract by themselves, yet, I find no evidence that
these can impart their contractions to any adjacent tissue.
Conant’s results on cutting the nerve eight times and then continuing the
cuts to the base of the stomach are quite the same as Romanes and Eimer
obtained upon Aurelia. Romanes, however, concludes that in his Sarsia,
Tiaropsis, etc., coördination was broken when only short incisions were
made in the margin. Charybdea appears, then, to agree with Aurelia rather
than with the Hydromedusæ. Yet, since Romanes at first obtained similar
results to those of Charybdea on Sarsia, but on further experimenting
concluded that coördination had really been destroyed at the first
cutting, we cannot speak with certainty that coördination had not been
destroyed in Charybdea before the cuts had been continued to the base of
the stomach. I say not with certainty, because the injury to the bell
being slight, coördination may have been maintained on the principle of
a simultaneously (simultaneous for the octants) alternate exhaustion and
recovery of the contractile tissue on the principle of Romanes’ theory.
_Stimulation._--Romanes found when he stimulated a deganglionated bell
of a Hydromedusa, that it responded by a single contraction, while that
of a Scyphomedusa responded with several quite rhythmic contractions.
Charybdea in this respect agrees with the Scyphomedusæ. Romanes’ results
were also verified on Aurelia. (Experiments 12c, 15, 50, 51.)
_Activity of Charybdea._--In speaking of the activity of Charybdea, I
cannot do better than refer the reader to the notes. (Experiment 41.)
Conant remarks in his dissertation what an active swimmer Charybdea is,
and this is further borne out by his later observations.
_Temperature._--Ice in the water seemed to have no effect, except when
held against an animal, when a slowing of pulsation followed in a few
instances. On some pulsating actively in the sun the temperature of the
water was found to be 92° F. (Experiments 33-35.)
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