The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10) — John Shaqi
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)Gadow, Hans
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 08 (of 10)
Gadow, Hans
Animals
Procoelous vertebrae exist in the overwhelming majority of Anura;
opisthocoelous are those of the Aglossa, the Discoglossidae, and of some
Pelobatidae. The systematic value of this pro- or opistho-coelous character
has been much exaggerated. We have seen that the centra of the vertebrae of
the Anura are formed entirely by the interdorsal elements, hence the term
"notocentrous," and these centra sometimes remain in adult specimens of
_Pelobates_ as separately ossified and calcified pieces, {20}not fused with
the rest of the vertebrae. This important discovery has been made by
Boulenger, but Stannius had previously mentioned a specimen of _Pelobates_
in which the second and fourth vertebrae are biconvex, the third, sixth,
and eighth biconcave. Moreover, since the sacral vertebra, generally the
ninth, in all the Anura is invariably biconvex, the eighth being biconcave
in the procoelous families, opisthocoelous like the remaining seven
vertebrae in the other families, it is not difficult to imagine that in the
Anura the production of pro- or opistho-coelous vertebrae depends simply
upon the centra or articulating knobs happening to fuse either with the
hind or the front end of the vertebrae. This must of course ultimately be
determined by a mechanical problem of motion.
A second type of the vertebrae amongst the Anura is the epichordal type, an
exaggeration in degree of the notocentrous tendencies of the more usual
perichordal arrangement. It shows, namely, the almost complete suppression
of all the ventral cartilaginous elements, so that the chorda remains for a
long time on the ventral surface of the axial column in the shape of a
flattened longitudinal band. These two types are not unconnected. The
suppression of the ventral elements applies most typically to the trunk
region, while hypochordal cartilage exists in the anterior cervical
vertebrae, and above all in the coccyx. Typically epichordal are the
vertebrae of _Pipa_, _Xenopus_, _Bombinator_, _Pelobates_, _Discoglossus_
and _Alytes_. It is significant that the epichordal often coincide with
opisthocoelous vertebrae, and still more suggestive is the fact that
_Bombinator_ is eminently aquatic, _Pipa_ and _Xenopus_ entirely so, having
lost the tympanum, at least externally. The epichordal feature is not
necessarily indicative of relationship. It has probably been developed
independently in various groups, in correlation with a resumption of
aquatic life. Various genera of Pelobatidae and most likely some
Cystignathidae, e.g. _Pseudis_, will not improbably connect the two types
and their several correlated features, for instance, the frequent reduction
of the tympanic cavity.
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