The works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 2 (of 4) : $b A treatise on comparative embryology: InvertebrataBalfour, Francis M. (Francis Maitland)
Science
The works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 2 (of 4) : $b A treatise on comparative embryology: Invertebrata
Balfour, Francis M. (Francis Maitland)
Embryology; Zoology
As examples of this form of development worked out by Leuckart may be
mentioned Dochmius trigonocephalus, parasitic in the dog, and Ascaris
acuminata, in the frog. The human parasite Dochmius duodenale
undergoes the same metamorphosis as Dochmius trigonocephalus.
A remarkable modification of this type of metamorphosis is found in
Ascaris (Rhabdonema) nigrovenosa, which in its most developed
condition is parasitic in the lungs of the frog (Metschnikoff,
Leuckart, No. 388). The embryos pass through their first developmental
phases in the body of the parent. They have the typical Rhabditis
form, and make their way after birth into the frog's rectum. From this
they pass to the exterior, and then living either in moist earth, or
the fæces of the frog, develop into a sexual form, but are very much
smaller than in the adult condition. The sexes are distinct, and the
males are distinguished from the females by their smaller size,
shorter and rounded tails, and thinner bodies. The females have paired
ovaries with a very small number of eggs, but the testis of the males
is unpaired. Impregnation takes place in the usual way, and in summer
time about four embryos are developed in each female, which soon burst
their egg-capsules, and then move freely in the uterus. Their active
movements soon burst the uterine walls, and they then come to lie
freely in the body cavity. The remaining viscera of the mother are
next reduced to a finely granular material, which serves for the
nutrition of the young forms which continue to live in the maternal
skin. The larvæ eventually become free, and though in many respects
different from the parent form which gave rise to them, have
nevertheless the Rhabditis form. They live in water or slime, and
sometimes become parasitic in water-snails; in neither case however do
they undergo important changes unless eventually swallowed by a frog.
They then pass down the trachea into the lungs and there rapidly
develop into the adult form. No separate males have been found in the
lungs of the frog, but it has been shewn by Schneider (No. 390) that
the so-called females are really hermaphrodites; the same gland giving
origin to both spermatozoa and ova, the former being developed before
the latter[156]. The remarkable feature of the above life history is
the fact that in the stage corresponding with the free larval stage of
the previous forms the larvæ of this species become sexual, and give
rise to a second free larval generation, which develops into the adult
form on again becoming parasitic in the original host. It constitutes
a somewhat exceptional case of heterogamy as defined in the
introduction.
[156] Leuckart does not appear to be satisfied as to the
hermaphroditism of these forms; and holds that it is quite
possible that the ova may develop parthenogenetically.
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