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
Eventually the large yolk segment, which has hitherto merely budded
off a series of small segments free from yolk, itself divides into two
similar parts. This process is then repeated (fig. 42, 4) and there is
at last formed a number of yolk segments filled with yolk spheres,
which occupy the place of the original large yolk segment. Between
these yolk segments and the small segments is placed the segmentation
cavity.
The segmentation of the ovum of Euaxes[43] resembles that of Unio in
the budding off of clear segments from those filled with yolk, but
presents many interesting individualities.
[43] Kowalevsky, _Mem. Akad. Petersburg_, Series VII, 1871.
A very peculiar modification of the ordinary Gasteropod segmentation
is that described by Bobretzky for Nassa mutabilis[44].
[44] _Archiv. f. mikr. Anat._ Vol. XIII. 1877.
The ovum contains a large amount of food-yolk, and the protoplasm is
aggregated at the formative pole, adjoining which are placed the polar
bodies. An equatorial and a vertical furrow (fig. 43 A), the former
near the upper pole, appear simultaneously, and divide the ovum into
three segments, two small, each with a protoplasmic pole, and one
large entirely formed of yolk material. One of the two small segments
next completely fuses with the large segment (fig. 43 B), and after
the fusion is complete, a triple segmentation of the large segment
takes place as at the first division, and at the same time the single
small segment divides into two. In this way four partially
protoplasmic segments and one yolk segment are formed (fig. 43 C). One
of the small segments again fuses with the large segment, so that the
number of segments becomes again reduced to four, three small and one
large. The protoplasmic ends of these segments are turned towards each
other, and where they meet four very small cells become budded off,
one from each segment (fig. 43 D). Four small cells are again budded
off twice in succession, while the original small cells remain
passive, so that there come to be twelve small and four large cells.
In later stages the four first-formed small cells give rise to still
smaller cells and then the next-formed do the same. The large cells
continue also to give rise to small ones, and finally, by a continuous
process of division, and fresh budding of small cells from large
cells, a cap of small cells becomes formed covering the four large
cells which have in the meantime pressed themselves together (fig. 43
E). A segmentation cavity of not inconsiderable dimensions becomes
established between this cap of small cells and the large cells.
[FIG. 43. SEGMENTATION OF NASSA MUTABILIS (from Bobretzky). A. Upper
half divided into two segments. B. One of these has fused with the
large lower segment. C. Four small and one large segment, one of the
former fusing with the large segment. D. Each of the four segments
has given rise to a small segment. E. Small segments have increased
to thirty-six.]
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