The Appendages, Anatomy, and Relationships of TrilobitesRaymond, Percy E. (Percy Edward)
Science
The Appendages, Anatomy, and Relationships of Trilobites
Raymond, Percy E. (Percy Edward)
Trilobites
The homology of the third post-oral limb is in question, some
considering it a maxilla and others a maxilliped. It has various forms
in different genera. It is always much modified, but exopodite and
endopodite are generally represented at least by rudiments. The fourth
post-oral limb is a lobed plate, usually not distinctly segmented, and
the fifth a uniramous pediform leg. The sixth, if present at all, is
vestigial.
Very little comparison can be made between the Ostracoda and
Trilobita, other than in the ground-plan of the limbs, but the
presence of biramous antennæ is a primitive characteristic.
CIRRIPEDIA.
Like the ostracod, the adult cirriped bears little external
resemblance to the trilobite. The form of the nauplius is somewhat
peculiar, but it has the typical three pairs of appendages, to which
are added in the later metanauplius stages the maxillæ and six pairs
of thoracic appendages. In the adult, the antennules, which serve for
attachment of the larva, usually persist in a functionless condition,
while the antennas disappear. The mandibles, maxillulæ, and maxillæ
are simple and much modified to form mouth parts, and the six pairs of
thoracic appendages are developed into long, multisegmented, biramous
appendages bearing numerous setæ which serve for catching prey. Paired
eyes are present in later metanauplius stages, but lost early in the
development. The relationship to the trilobite evidently is not close.
MALACOSTRACA.
_1. Phyllocarida._
The oldest malacostracans whose appendages are known are species of
_Hymenocaris_. One, described as long ago as 1866 by Salter, has what
seem to be a pair of antennæ and a pair of jaw-like mouth-parts.
Another more completely known species has recently been reported by
Walcott (1912 A, p. 183, pl. 31, figs. 1-6). This latter form is
described as having five pairs of cephalic appendages: a pair of
minute antennules beside the small pedunculated eyes, a pair of large
uniramous antennæ, slender mandibles and maxillulæ, and large maxillæ
composed of short stout segments. There are eight pairs of biramous
thoracic limbs, the exopodites setiferous, the endopodites composed of
short wide segments and ending in terminal claw-like spines. These
appendages are like those of trilobites.
_Hymcnocaris_ belongs to the great group of extinct ceratocarid
Crustacea which are admitted to the lowest of the malacostracan
orders, Phyllocarida, because of their resemblance to _Nebalia_,
_Paranebalia_, _Nebaliopsis_, and _Nebaliella_, the four genera which
are at present living. The general form of the recent and fossil
representatives of the order is strikingly similar. The chief outward
difference is that in many of the fossils the telson is accompanied by
two furcal rami, while in the modern genera it is simple. It now
becomes possible to make some comparison between the appendages of
_Hymcnocaris_ of the Middle Cambrian and the Nebaliidæ of modern seas.
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