The depression of the floor of the stomach just internal to the valve may
possibly be a structure of some morphological significance. In one series
of sections it was found that in two of the quadrants the depression was
deeper than that represented in Fig. 4, and extended perceptibly into
the outer or vertical portion of the suspensorium. Fig. 32 is a diagram
giving a vertical reconstruction in the perradius of the cross-sections
in which this deepened depression was noticed. Fig. 31 is a drawing
(the outline by camera lucida) of one of the cross-sections, through
the lowermost point of the depression. The figure gives the wall of
the stomach lined with high columnar epithelium (_ens_), and the wall
of the stomach pockets, with the suspensorium (_su_) connecting them.
The section is taken just above the broad angle that lies between the
two parts of the suspensorium, that is, in a plane parallel to the arrow
_a-b_ in Fig. 32, but a little lower down. At the points to which the
reference letter _x_ (Fig. 31) refers are seen the first indications of
the division into two parts, _i. e._ of the apex of the angle. The next
section or two lower down show the relation seen in Fig. 10 (_su_). There
can be no doubt in this case that the depression or pocket lies in the
outer vertical limb of the suspensorium. It is the position that gives
it at least the appearance of some morphological significance. In two
genera of Lucernaridæ named and described by Clark (’78), Halicyathus
and Craterolophus, the mesogonia or suspensoria in all four perradii
contain broad pockets. These mesogonial pockets in the Lucernaridæ have
given rise to considerable misunderstanding owing to the fact that in
some forms the reproductive organs bulge out from the stomach pockets in
which they structurally lie, and come to take up a secondary position
in the walls of the mesogonial pockets. The sections of Charybdea above
referred to indicate that among the Cubomedusæ we may have the same
structure reduced to its lowest terms, and may be a feather’s weight in
favor of the view that the Cubomedusæ are descendants of an attached
Lucernaria-like form.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account