The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 04 (of 10)Warburton, Cecil
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 04 (of 10)
Warburton, Cecil
Animals
The first pair of appendages appear to be antennules, whilst the second
pair probably represent the antennae, the third pair the mandibles, and
the fourth and fifth pairs the maxillae of other Crustacea. The
appendages of the thorax and pygidium do not differ essentially from the
two posterior cephalic appendages. Those on the anterior part of the
thorax are the longest; the others gradually decrease in size in passing
posteriorly. Each thoracic leg (Fig. 142, B) consists of a short
coxopodite with an inward cylindrical prolongation forming a gnathobase
which is best developed on the anterior legs; the endopodite and
exopodite are long and nearly equal; the former consists of six joints
tapering gradually to the end; the latter, of a long proximal joint with
a denticulate edge and a distal part of ten or more joints, and it bears
a row of setae along the whole of the posterior edge.
The anterior appendages of the pygidium differ but little from the
posterior thoracic legs; but the phyllopodous character, which appears
in the latter, becomes more distinct in the appendages of the pygidium,
especially those near its posterior end, and is due to the broad, flat,
laminar joints of the endopodite.
The more striking features of the appendages of _Triarthrus_ are the
small amount of differentiation which they show in different parts of
the body, especially the want of specialisation in the cephalic region;
the distinctly biramous character of all except the first pair; and the
presence of one pair of functional antennae only, and the occurrence of
thoracic gnathobases.
In _Trinucleus_ the appendages are not so well known, but they are
considerably shorter than in _Triarthrus_.
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