The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 01 (of 10)Hickson, Sydney J. (Sydney John)
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 01 (of 10)
Hickson, Sydney J. (Sydney John)
Animals
In the Perforate genera, _Patellina_ and _Discorbina_, plastogamy precedes
brood formation, the cytoplasms of the 2-5 pairing individuals contracting
a close union; and then the nuclei proceed to break up _without fusion_,
while the cytoplasm aggregates around the young nuclei to form amoebulae,
which acquire a shell and separate. In both cases it is the forms with a
single nucleus, corresponding to _megalospheric_ forms that so pair, and
the brood-formation is, _mutatis mutandis_, the same as in these forms.
Similar individuals may reproduce in the same way, in both genera, without
this plastogamic pairing, which is therefore, though probably advantageous,
not essential. If pseudopodiospores form their shells while near one
another, they may coalesce to form monsters, as often happens in
_Orbitolites_.[81]
The direct economic uses of the Foraminifera are perhaps greater than those
of any other group of Protozoa. The Chalk is {70}composed largely of
_Textularia_ and allied forms, mixed with the skeletons of
Coccolithophoridae (pp. 113-114), known as Coccoliths, etc. The Calcaire
Grossier of Paris, used as a building stone, is mainly composed of the
shells of Miliolines of Eocene age; the Nummulites of the same age of the
Mediterranean basin are the chief constituent of the stone of which the
Pyramids of Egypt are built. Our own Oolitic limestones are composed of
concretions around a central nucleus, which is often found to be a minute
Foraminiferous shell.
The palaeontology of the individual genera is treated of in Chapman's and
Lister's recent works. They range from the Lower Cambrian characterised by
perforated hyaline genera, such as _Lagena_, to the present day. Gigantic
arenaceous forms, such as _Loftusia_, are among the Tertiary
representatives; but the limestones formed _principally_ of their shells
commence at the Carboniferous. The so-called Greensands contain greenish
granules of "glauconite," containing a ferrous silicate, deposited as a
cast in the chambers of Foraminifera, and often left exposed by the
solution of the calcareous shell itself. Such granules occur in deep-sea
deposits of the present day.[82]
3. HELIOZOA
_Sarcodina with radiate non-anastomosing pseudopodia of granular
protoplasm, each with a stiff axial rod passing into the body plasma; no
central capsule, nor clear ectoplasm; skeleton when present siliceous;
nucleus single or multiple; contractile vacuole (or vacuoles) in
fresh-water species, superficial and prominent at the surface in diastole;
reproduction by fission or budding in the active condition, or by
brood-formation in a cyst, giving rise to resting spores; conjugation
isogamous in the only two species fully studied; habitat floating or among
weeds, mostly fresh water._
1. Naked or with an investment only when encysted.
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