Report on the Radiolaria Collected by H.M.S. Challenger During the Years 1873-1876, First Part: Porulosa (Spumellaria and Acantharia): Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger During the Years 1873-76, Vol. XVIIIHaeckel, Ernst
Science
Report on the Radiolaria Collected by H.M.S. Challenger During the Years 1873-1876, First Part: Porulosa (Spumellaria and Acantharia): Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger During the Years 1873-76, Vol. XVIII
Haeckel, Ernst
Radiolaria
rarely larger fat-granules or pigment-granules, sometimes concretions or
crystals. In many groups, especially among the large PHÆODARIA and
#Collodaria#, the numerous hyaline spheres are remarkable for their equal
size and even distribution throughout the endoplasm (Pl. 1, figs. 1, 4; Pl.
104, fig. 2, &c.). In some genera belonging to the Thalassicollida the
alveoles are of enormous size (Pl. 1, figs. 2, 3); they then become
flattened by mutual pressure into polyhedra and distend the central capsule
to unusual dimensions (in _Physematium_ and _Thalassolampe_ 8 to 12 mm.).
A. The "_spherical hyaline vesicles_," which I described in my Monograph
(1862, p. 71) as among the most important and constant contents of the
central capsule, are partly vacuoles, {xlii}partly homogeneous nuclei.
Most recent investigators, Bütschli in particular (1882, L. N. 41), have
pointed out and rightly criticised this confusion. The criticism might,
however, have been more justly expressed by stating that, in the
preparation of my Monograph (1859-1862), I did not make use of modern
methods of demonstrating the nucleus by staining fluids, which were quite
unknown at the time, and only discovered a decade later. In fact, without
the aid of such reagents, it is quite impossible to distinguish between
the various "spherical transparent vesicles," of which those found in the
central capsule of the PHÆODARIA and many monozootic #Collodaria# are
simple vacuoles lying in the endoplasm, whilst, on the other hand, those
of the Polycyttaria and many other Radiolaria are true homogeneous
nuclei. For not only are the general appearance of the small clear
spheres, their refractive power, and regular distribution in the
endoplasm quite similar, but they are also of much the same size, for the
diameter ranges from 0.005 to 0.015 mm., being generally between 0.008
and 0.012 mm. In addition to this there is generally in each hyaline
sphere a dark brightly shining granule, which, in the case of the
vacuole, is simply a fat-granule, whilst in the case of the nucleus, it
is a true nucleolus. The small hyaline spheres in the young uninucleate
capsules of the Polycyttaria are simple vacuoles (Pl. 3, fig. 12), whilst
in the ripe multinucleate capsules they are true nuclei (Pl. 3, figs. 3,
8, 9), and it is quite impossible to discriminate between these two
conditions without the use of reagents. This has been expressly
recognised by R. Hertwig, who has the merit of having been the first to
clearly distinguish, by the aid of staining fluids, between these two
different constituents (1879, L. N. 33, p. 108).
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