The Life of CrustaceaCalman, W. T. (William Thomas)
Science
The Life of Crustacea
Calman, W. T. (William Thomas)
Crustacea
The third Order, that of the TANAIDACEA (Fig. 19), is of special
interest, since in many respects it forms a transition to the next. It
comprises a number of minute Crustacea, generally found burrowing in mud
in the sea. They have a small carapace, which only involves the first
two thoracic somites, the rest of the somites being distinct. The
side-folds of the carapace enclose a pair of small cavities, within
which lie, as in the case of the last two orders, the epipodites of the
maxillipeds. The eyes are not movable, although they are set on little
side-lobes of the head, representing the vestiges of eye-stalks. The
first pair of thoracic limbs are maxillipeds, and the second pair are
very large, and form pincer-claws (chelæ). Minute vestiges of exopodites
are sometimes found on the second and third pairs, but they are not
used for swimming, and only help to keep a current of water flowing
through the gill cavities. The abdomen is very short, with small
swimmerets, and the telson is not separated from the last somite. The
uropods are generally very small, and do not form a tail-fan.
[Illustration: FIG. 20--A WOODLOUSE (_Porcellio scaber_), ONE OF THE
ISOPODA. ENLARGED. (From Lankester's "Treatise on Zoology," after Sars.)]
Unlike the Tanaidacea, the ISOPODA, which form the fourth order of the
Peracarida, are very numerous in species, and very varied in structure
and habits. The most familiar are the Woodlice, or Slaters, which are
commonly found in damp places, under stones and the like. Besides these,
however, the order includes a vast number of forms living in the sea and
a few that live in fresh water. The examination of a common Woodlouse,
such as _Oniscus_ or _Porcellio_ (Fig. 20), will give a general idea of
the form and structure of a typical Isopod, although many curious
modifications are found, some of which will be mentioned in later
chapters.
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