The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 07 (of 10)Boulenger, George Albert
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 07 (of 10)
Boulenger, George Albert
Animals
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS.—_Ascidia mentula_ is hermaphrodite, and the
reproductive organs lie with the alimentary canal, on the left side of the
body (Fig. 19, _ov_). The ovary is a ramified gland which occupies the
greater part of the intestinal loop. It contains a cavity which, along with
the cavities of the testis, is derived from an embryonic coelom; the ova
are formed from its walls, and fall when mature into the cavity. The
oviduct is continuous with the cavity of the ovary, and leads forward
alongside the rectum, finally opening near the anus into the peribranchial
cavity (Fig. 18, _g.d_). The testis is composed of a great number of
delicate, branched tubules, which ramify over the ovary and the adjacent
parts of the intestinal wall. These tubules terminate in ovate swellings.
Near the commencement of the rectum the larger tubules unite to form the
vas deferens, a tube of considerable size, which runs forward alongside the
rectum, and, like the oviduct, terminates by opening into the peribranchial
cavity close to the anus. The lumen of the tubules of the testis, like the
cavity of the ovary, is a part of the embryonic mesoblastic space, and the
spermatozoa are formed from the cells lining the wall. In some Ascidians
(certain Molgulidae and Cynthiidae), reproductive organs are present on
both sides of the body, and in others, as in _Polycarpa_, there are many
complete sets of both male and female systems attached to the inner surface
of the mantle on both sides of the body and projecting into the
peribranchial cavity.
EMBRYOLOGY AND LIFE-HISTORY OF A TYPICAL ASCIDIAN.
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