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 endopodites of most of the appendages of the thorax are well
shown, and occasional portions of exopodites. The coxopodites are
long, flattened, and do not taper much. The anterior and posterior
edges of the basipodites of the endopodites of the first two segments
are approximately parallel, but on the succeeding endopodites the
basipodites and ischiopodites are triangular in form, with the apex
backward. In successive endopodites toward the posterior end, the
angle made by the backward-directed sides of the basipodites becomes
increasingly acute, so that in some of the posterior appendages this
segment is wider than long. The ischiopodite shows a similar increase
of width and angularity on successive segments, and the meropodites
and carpopodites also become wider on the posterior segments, and even
triangular in outline toward the back of the thorax and on the
pygidium.
Along the median portion of the axial lobe the specimen has been
cleaned until the inner side of the ventral membrane was reached. Here
the test shows on the inner surface at each segment of the thorax a
series of low ridges which are roughly parallel to the axial line, but
which really converge in an anterior direction. Between the ridges
are shallow canoe-shaped depressions, which have the appearance of
areas for the insertion of muscles.
_Measurements:_ Length, 31 mm.; width at back of head, 15 mm.;
distance, in a straight line, from point of insertion of the right
antennule to its tip, 14.25 mm.; it projects 12 mm. beyond the
cephalon.
Specimen No. 218 (pl. 6, fig. 3; text fig. 43).
This specimen is a large one, developed from the lower side, but
retains only the endopodites of a few appendages. The cephalon and
anterior portion of the thorax are missing.
Professor Beecher had a drawing made to show the appendages on the
right-hand side of the last two segments of the thorax, seen of course
from the ventral side. This drawing shows well the broadening of the
basipodite, ischiopodite, and meropodite, while the coxopodite is
thick and heavy, and the inner end of the gnathobase somewhat rugose.
Almost every segment of the endopodites has one or more pits for
insertion of spines, these being along the anterior or posterior
margins. The exopodites lack the setæ, but show no unusual features.
[Illustration: Fig. 43.--_Triarthrus becki_ Green. Drawing to
represent the writer's interpretation of the appendages of specimen
218. Drawn by Miss Wood. × 10.]
Specimen No. 222 (pl. 4, fig. 5).
Illustrated: Amer. Jour. Sci., vol. 47, 1894, pl. 7, fig. 3
(drawing).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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