It is instructive to observe the nature and the anterior position of this
pair of appendages in the allied sea-scorpions, especially in Pterygotus,
where the only chelate organs are found in these long, antennæ-like
cheliceræ. In Slimonia and in Stylonurus they are supposed by Woodward to
be represented by the small non-chelate antennæ seen in Fig. 8, B and C (p.
27), taken from Woodward. If such is the case, then these figures show that
a pair of appendages is missing in each {236}of these forms, for they
possess only five free prosomatic appendages instead of six, as in Limulus
and in Pterygotus. Similarly, Woodward only allowed five appendages for
Pterygotus, so that his restorations were throughout consistent. Schmidt,
in _Pterygotus osiliensis_ has shown that the true number was six, not
five, as seen in his restoration given in Fig. 8, A (p. 27).
[Illustration: FIG. 103.--VENTRAL SURFACE OF LIMULUS. (Taken from
KISHINOUYE.)
The gnathic bases of the appendages have been separated from those of the
other side to show the promesosternite or endostoma (_End._).]
With respect to Eurypterus, Schmidt figures an exceedingly minute pair of
antennæ between the coxal joints of the first pair of appendages, thus
making six pairs of appendages. Gerhard Holm, however, in his recent
beautiful preparations from Schmidt's specimens and others collected at
Rootziküll, has proved most conclusively that the cheliceræ of Eurypterus
were of the same kind as those of Limulus. I reproduce his figure (Fig.
104) showing the small chelate cheliceræ (1) overhanging the mouth orifice,
just as in Limulus or in Scorpio.
{237}So, also, since Woodward's monograph, Laurie has discovered in
_Slimonia acuminata_ a small median pair of chelate appendages exactly
corresponding to the cheliceræ of Limulus, or of Eurypterus, or of Scorpio.
We may, therefore, take it for granted that such was also the case in
Stylonurus, and that the foremost pair of prosomatic appendages in all
these extinct sea-scorpions were in the same position and of the same
character as the cheliceræ of the scorpions.
[Illustration: FIG. 104.--_Eurypterus Fischeri._ (From HOLM.)]
In the living scorpion and in Limulus the nerves to this pair of appendages
undoubtedly arise from the foremost prosomatic ganglia, and the reason why
they appear to belong to the supra-oesophageal brain-mass has been made
clear by Brauer's investigations on the embryology of Scorpio; for he has
shown that the cheliceral ganglia shift from the ventral to the dorsal side
of the oesophagus during development, thus becoming
pseudo-supra-oesophageal, though in reality belonging to the
infra-oesophageal ganglia. This cheliceral pair of appendages is, in all
probability, homologous with the second pair of antennæ in the crustacea.
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