The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 07 (of 10)Boulenger, George Albert
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 07 (of 10)
Boulenger, George Albert
Animals
The solitary form gives rise, by gemmation at the posterior end of the
endostyle (Fig. 63), to a complex tubular stolon, containing processes from
the more important organs of the parent-body, which give rise to an
endodermal tube, two peribranchial tubes, a neural tube, two blood-sinuses
and mesoblast cells, a genital cord, and over all the ectodermal covering
(see Fig. 64). This stolon becomes segmented (Fig. 63) into a series of
buds or young "chain" individuals, of which there may be several hundreds.
As the stolon elongates (Fig. 61, B, _st″_), the buds {104}undergo lateral
shifting, and rotation round their longitudinal axis, so as to acquire the
relations seen in the "chain," which then emerges from the tube in the test
through which it has been growing, so as to project to the exterior near
the atrial aperture. The buds at its free end which have now become far
advanced in their development are set free in groups, which remain attached
together by processes of the test, each enclosing a diverticulum from the
body-wall (Fig. 62), so as to form "chains." Each member of the chain is a
_Salpa_ of the sexual or aggregated form, and when mature may—either still
attached to its neighbours or separated from them—produce one or several
embryos (Fig. 61, A, _emb_), which develop into the solitary form of
_Salpa_. Thus the two forms, different in appearance and structure and
different in mode of origin, alternate regularly in the life-history of
_Salpa_.
STRUCTURE.—The more important points in the structure of a typical _Salpa_
are shown in Fig. 65. The branchial and atrial apertures are at opposite
ends of the body, and lead into large cavities, the branchial and
peribranchial sac respectively, which are in free communication at the
sides of the obliquely-running dorsal lamina or "gill" (_d.l_). The
transparent test is usually thick, and varies from a gelatinous to a stiff
cartilaginous condition; it adheres closely to the surface of the mantle
(ectoderm and body-wall). The muscle-bands (from 4 to about 20—usually 8 or
10) of the mantle do not in most cases completely encircle the body. They
are present dorsally (Fig. 65, _mus.bds_) and laterally, but the majority
do not reach the ventral surface. In many cases neighbouring bands join in
the median dorsal line (Fig. 61). The muscle fibres are striated, and have
rows of large equidistant nuclei. The anterior end of the dorsal lamina is
in some cases prolonged to form a prominent tentacular organ, the languet
or dorsal tentacle, projecting into the branchial sac, while near this
opens a ciliated funnel corresponding to the dorsal tubercle, but having no
connexion in the adult with either ganglion or subneural gland. The
conjoined ganglion and subneural gland, the dorsal lamina, the
peripharyngeal bands and the endostyle are placed in the usual positions.
Eyes in the form either of a continuous horse-shoe-shaped pigmented ridge
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