The works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 3 (of 4) : $b A treatise on comparative embryology: VertebrataBalfour, Francis M. (Francis Maitland)
Science
The works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 3 (of 4) : $b A treatise on comparative embryology: Vertebrata
Balfour, Francis M. (Francis Maitland)
Embryology; Zoology
In both of these, and especially in the second, an apparent diminution
of the cranial flexure is very marked. This diminution is due to the
increase in the size of the cerebral hemispheres, which grow upwards
and forwards, and press the original fore-brain against the mid-brain
behind.
In fig. G the rudiments of the nasal sacks are clearly visible as
small open pits.
The first cleft is no longer similar to the rest, but by the closure
of the lower part has commenced to be metamorphosed into the spiracle.
Accompanying the change in position of the first cleft, the mandibular
arch has begun to bend round so as to enclose the front as well as the
sides of the mouth. By this change in the mandibular arch the mouth
becomes narrowed in an antero-posterior direction.
In fig. H are seen the long filiform external gills which now project
out from all the visceral clefts, including the spiracle. They are
attached to the front wall of the spiracle, to both walls of the next
four clefts, and to the front wall of the last cleft. They have very
possibly become specially developed to facilitate respiration within
the egg; and they disappear before the close of larval life.
When the young of Scyllium and other Sharks are hatched they have all
the external characters of the adult. In Raja and Torpedo the early
stages, up to the acquirement of a shark-like form, are similar to
those in the Selachoidei, but during the later embryonic stages the
body gradually flattens out, and assumes the adult form, which is thus
clearly shewn to be a secondary acquirement.
An embryonic gill cleft behind the last present in the adult is found
(Wyman, No. 54) in the embryo of Raja batis.
The unpaired fins are developed in Elasmobranchs as a fold of skin on
the dorsal side, which is continued round the end of the tail along
the ventral side to the anus. Local developments of this give rise to
the dorsal and anal fins. The caudal fin is at first symmetrical, but
a special lower lobe grows out and gives to it a heterocercal
character.
_Enclosure of the yolk-sack and its relation to the embryo._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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