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
This specimen, which is developed from the dorsal surface, shows
especially well nine appendages of the left side. The first represent
the last segment of the cephalon; the remainder belong to the thorax.
As is usual, the exopodites of these appendages overlie and curve
behind the endopodites. All the exopodites have lost their setæ and
the segments of the endopodites are flattened by crushing. The
endopodites, while retaining only one or two of the movable spines,
have the cup-like bases of from two to four on each of the visible
segments, namely, the meropodite, carpopodite, propodite, and, in one
case, the dactylopodite. These appendages, although really marvellous
in preservation, are of such small size and react so badly to light
that their study is very difficult, and Professor Beecher, who had
observed hundreds of specimens through all stages of the laborious
process of cleaning the matrix from them, undoubtedly was much better
equipped to interpret them than any other person.
The drawing is made on the assumption that the appendages are
displaced and all moved uniformly outward so that the distal ends of
the coxopodites emerge from under the pleural lobe, whereas these ends
would normally be under the dorsal furrow, and the distal end of the
ischiopodite should reach the margin of the pleural lobe. While it
seems very remarkable that it should happen, that all the appendages
should be so moved that they would lie symmetrically a few millimeters
from their normal position, nevertheless it is found on measuring that
they bear the same proportion to the length and width that the
appendages of other specimens do, thus indicating that Professor
Beecher's interpretation of them was correct. I am unable, however, to
see the coxopodites which he has drawn as articulating with the two
branches of the limb.
[Illustration: Fig. 42.--_Triarthrus becki_ Green. Appendages of
specimen 204. Inked in by Miss Wood from the original tracing. × 10.]
This individual shows, better than any other, the connection of the
exopodite with the endopodite. Even though the coxopodites are gone,
the two branches of each appendage remain together, showing that the
basipodite as well as the coxopodite is involved in the articulation
with the exopodite. Just what the connection is can not be observed,
but there seems to be a firm union between the upper surface of the
basipodite and the lower side of the proximal end of the exopodite, as
indicated diagrammatically in text figure 33.
_Measurements:_ The specimen is 20 mm. long and 9 mm. wide at the back
of the cephalon. From the tubercle on the middle of the first segment
of the thorax to the tip of the corresponding appendage the distance
is 8 mm. The entire length of the exopodite of the first thoracic
segment is 4.6 mm. The exopodite of the appendage belonging to the
seventh segment is only 3.5 mm. long. The pleural lobe is 2.5 mm. wide
at the front of the thorax.
Specimen No. 205 (pl. 2, fig. 4).
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