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
With reference to the remainder of the alimentary canal there is but
little to notice. The primitive hepatic diverticulum rapidly sprouts
out and forms a tubular gland. The opening into the duodenum changes
from a ventral to a lateral or even dorsal position. The duct leads
into a gall-bladder imbedded in the substance of the liver. Ventrally
the liver is united with the abdominal wall, but laterally passages
are left by which the pericardial and body cavities continue to
communicate.
The greater part of the yolk becomes employed in the formation of the
intestinal wall. This part of the intestine in a nine days' larva (67
mm.) has the form of a cylindrical tube with very thick columnar cells
entirely filled with yolk particles. The dorsal wall is no longer
appreciably thinner than the ventral. In the later stages the cells of
this part of the intestine become gradually less columnar as the yolk
is absorbed.
The fate of the yolk-cells in the Lamprey is different from that in
most other Vertebrata with an equally large amount of yolk. They no
doubt supply nutriment for the growth of the embryo, and although in
the anterior part of the intestine they become to some extent enclosed
in the alimentary tract and break up, yet in the posterior part they
become wholly transformed into the regular epithelium of the
intestine.
On the ninth day a slight fold filled with mesoblastic tissue is
visible on the dorsal wall of the intestine. This fold appears to
travel towards the ventral side; at any rate a similar but
better-marked fold is visible in a ventro-lateral position at a
slightly later period. This fold is the commencement of the fold which
in the adult makes a half spiral, and is no doubt equivalent to the
spiral valve of Elasmobranchs and Ganoids. It contains a prolongation
of the coeliac artery, which constitutes at first the vitelline
artery.
The nervous system does not undergo during the early larval period
changes which require a description.
The opening of the olfactory sack becomes narrowed and ciliated (fig.
47, _ol_). It is carried by the process already mentioned to the
dorsal surface of the head. The lumen of the sack is well developed;
and lies in contact with the base of the fore part of the brain.
The vascular system presents no very remarkable features. The heart is
two-chambered and straight. The ventricle is continued forwards as a
bulbus arteriosus, which divides into two arteries at the thyroid
body. From the bulbus and its continuations eight branches are given
off to the gills; and, as mentioned above, a vessel, probably of the
same nature, is given off in the region of the velum. The blood from
the branchial sacks is collected into the dorsal aorta. Some of it is
transmitted to the head, but the greater part flows backwards under
the notochord.
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