ALBERT

Notes: Projection microradiography was used to determine the density and orientation of the force transmitting structures, i.e., trabeculae and bone lying between approximately parallel vascular canals, within the bones of cat skulls. The organisation in the skulls was confirmed statistically for a total of ten cats. The results of the observations showed that within specific areas of the skull a high degree of structural orientation and an increased density of osseous structures was present. The distribution of these characters corresponded in contiguous bones such that a continuum of structural organisation was established between the alveolar region and the site of attachment of the temporalis and masseter muscles and the glenoid region.The patterns of force transmission during jaw closure were determined when a resistance was placed initially between the canines and then the carnassials. An analysis was first carried out on dry skulls using colophonium resin to determine the direction of the force distribution. The nature and the approximate magnitude of the forces were ascertained by replacing the resin with strain gauges. The basic similarities in the strain patterns recorded from the dry skulls and those from the ten anaesthetised cats in which strain gauges had been intra-vitally implanted, substantiated the recordings made on the dry skulls. Combination of the results from the three sets of experiments defined the patterns of force distribution in the cat skull during the closure of the mandible against a resistance. The results showed that: (1) the combined action of the temporalis and masseter muscles tended to reduce the overall strain in the skull bones, and that the deformations produced by the action of the masseter were greater than that exerted by the temporalis muscles; (2) during biting, whether the resistance was placed between the canines or carnassials, compressive forces predominated in the facial bones; (3) small movements observed between facial bones indicated the presence of a flexible component within the skull, thus allowing large forces to be exerted during biting without overstressing the facial bones; (4) the glenoid fossa is part of a force bearing joint; (5) forces generated during biting were resisted within the skull by forces of an opposite nature generated within the system, the incompressible nature of bone and by the effect of the soft tissues; (6) the nature and the magnitude of the strain altered when a resistance was placed at the canines and then at the carnassials; however, the pattern of force distribution within the skull remained the same; (7) there was a direct correspondence between the detailed structural organisation of the bones and the patterns of force distribution. This conclusion would appear to apply in general to mammalian skulls. The study also emphasises the importance, neglected hitherto, of carrying out a variety of experiments to determine the patterns of force distribution in bones.The Trajectorial Theory of bone organisation is discussed and, on the basis of the results obtained, a modified theory is proposed. This states that: the structural continuum is common to the compact and cancellous bone and comprises bony bars which are aligned in the optimum direction for the transmission of force to a region in the bone or bones where it is effectively resisted.

Notes: The tarsi of all three pairs of legs of both sexes of Aedes aegypti (L.) bear spine sensilla, five types of hair sensilla, which are designated A, B, C1, C2 and C3, and campaniform sensilla. Type A and B hairs, spines, and cam-paniform sensilla are innervated by one neuron with a tubular body, a characteristic of cuticular mechanoreceptors. In particular the hairs and spines are tactile receptors and the campaniform sensilla are proprioceptors. The C1, C2, and C3 hair sensilla have the morphological features of contact chemoreceptors. Type C1 and C3 hairs are innervated by five and four neurons, respectively, which extend to the tip of the hair. Type C2 is innervated by five neurons, one of which terminates at the base of the hair in a tubular body while the remaining four extend to the tip of the hair. The role of the type C hairs in oviposition behavior, nectar feeding, and recognition of conspecific females is discussed. Presumed efferent neurosecretory fibers occur near the spine and hair sensilla.

Notes: The micro-anatomy of the corpuscles of Stannius of the toadfish, Opsanus tau, an aglomerular marine teleost, has been studied by light and electron microscopy. The corpuscles are composed of extensively anastomosed cords of epithelial cells which maintain intimate contact with blood capillaries. Most of the epithelial cells contain acidophilic granules which also show a positive reaction with the periodic acid-Schiff technique and aldehyde fuchsin. On the basis of fine structural criteria, three cell types can be recognized. The granular cells contain abundant quantities of granular endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, Golgi apparatus with prosecretory granules, coated vesicles, polymorphic mitochondria with lamellar cristae, filaments, microtubules, a cilium, a variety of lysosome-like dense bodies, glycogen particles, lipid droplets, secretory granules and intranuclear lipid-like inclusions. One variety of agranular cell (type I) is characterized by the total absence of secretory granules, but it contains large amounts of granular endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes, conspicuous profiles of Golgi apparatus, coated vesicles and sometimes an abundance of glycogen. Another variety of agranular cell (type II) has poorly developed cytoplasmic organelles. The perivascular space between the capillary and parenchyma contains connective tissue cells and abundant nerve fibers. The different types of epithelial cells observed in the corpuscles of Stannius of this fish may represent functional stages of the secretory cycle in a single cell type.

Notes: The nervous system of the maldanid polychaetes Clymenella torquata (Leidy) and Euclymene oerstedi (Claparede) (= Caesicirrus neglectus [Arwidsson, '11-'12]) retains its primitive association with the epidermis. It shows only slight metamerism in the presence of larger collections of neurones opposite the parapodia and of larger nerves at the segmental boundaries. Multicellular giant fibers are present in the ventral nerve cord; giant neurones which show a characteristic pattern of distribution in each species are also present. The cerebral ganglia supply nerves to the prostomial wall, nuchal grooves and the wall of the buccal cavity, and a pair of large nerves from the circumpharyngeal connectives also appear to join the buccal system. The organs of special sense are the elongated prostomial nuchal grooves, and prostomial ocelli in Euclymene but not in Clymenella. Statocysts are absent.Four pairs of nephromixia are present. They lie in the aseptate anterior trunk, in chaetigers 5-9 of Clymenella, and 6-10 of Euclymene. The nephridiopores lie at the ventral ends of the neuropodia of chaetigers 6-9 and 7-10, respectively. Each nephromixium consists of coelomostome, tubule and contractile bladder. The wall of the tubule and bladder consists of both excretory and ciliated cells. Most of the cytoplasm of the latter forms a bounding layer at the outer surface. The cytoplasm of the excretory cells contains lipid material and appears to synthesize lipofuscin. The tips of the excretory cells swell, fill with granules, and break off in the form of vesicles which are periodically expelled in clouds from the nephridiopores. Glycogen is present, especially in the ciliated cells of the tubule and coelomostome.Granules of a lipoid nature accumulate in (or between) cells of the nephridia, epidermis, and some regions of the gut, and may be excretory. Lipid granules also appear to be synthesized by coelomocytes which eventually end up in masses in the ventrolateral coelomic cavities of the tail.The nephridia act as gonoducts, but show no seasonal variation in either size or histological structure.

Notes: The ascophoran Pentapora foliacea was studied from epoxy sections of skeletal and soft (hard-soft) tissues. The basal wall is double, indicating the colony grew as two independent layers, back to back. The structure of the vertical walls and interzooidal communication organs indicates that zooids were budded in the usual way as in most encrusting cheilostomes. Secondary layers of the frontal wall are of acicular aragonite. The ovicell develops as a flattened cuticular bladder in early ontogeny; the aragonitic layer of the frontal wall later engulfs it. A median vesicle, an evagination of the vestibular wall, is present but the eggs may be supplied with sufficient yolk to nurture the embryo. The overall ovicell structure is similar to that of hyperstomial ovicells in other cheilostomes.

Notes: This investigation describes the pre-natal morphogenesis of the type I pneumocyte subsequent to its differentiation from pulmonary epithelium. Cells lining subpleural alveolar septa were photographed from serial sections with the electron microscope, and a three-dimensional representation of each cell was obtained by transferring the contours of the cell membranes from montages to transparent plastic sheets which were then spaced to scale and stacked. The results of this study indicate that: The nascent blood-air barrier of a 50-day reconstructed cell was twice as thick as the average definitive barrier; definitive barrier thickness was observed in some areas in a 63-day reconstructed cell; the amorphous component of elastic tissue which appears peripherally in septal connective tissue during pre-natal morphogenesis may be directly juxtaposed to the basal lamina of the alveolar epithelium; the orientation of the cell junction between a pneumocyte and its neighboring cells, as observed in sections of alveolar septa, changes as the contour of the pneumocyte changes from simple abutment to overlapping patterns.

Notes: The fine structure of the mid-gut musculature of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria is described and compared with that of the visceral muscles of other species. The gross morphology and fine structure of the nervous system which supplies the mid-gut muscle fibres is described.

Notes: The integument of Paranthessius anemoniae has been studied with light and electron microscopy. A cuticle with clearly defined epicuticular, exocuticular and endocuticular regions overlies a cellular hypodermal layer. The distribution of carbohydrate, lipid and protein components of the cuticle were demonstrated histochemically. Parabolic striations in oblique sections of cuticle suggest that its molecular architecture fits a “twisted sheet” theory proposed for other species.Arthrodial membranes at body and limb joints have a homogeneous structure, lacking exocuticle and endocuticle. Subcuticular glands appear to secrete substances thought to be responsible for the immunity which Paranthessius seems to have to the nematocysts of its host. Small hairs, situated in cuticular cups which occur over the dorsal body surface are considered to function as rheoreceptors.

Notes: The larval epithelium of the sea urchin, Lytechinus pictus, consists of squamous cells and bands of columnar epithelial cells bearing cilia. During metamorphosis this tissue undergoes a series of rapid, complex changes. Through the scanning and transmission electron microscope, we describe and analyse these changes. The changes can be divided into three steps. (1) The larval arms bend away from the left side of the larva, exposing the urchin rudiment. Cells which are identical to smooth muscle cells are in a position to bring about this bending. (2) The squamous epithelial cells assume a cuboidal shape. This change in shape results in the collapse of the larval epithelium onto the presumptive aboral surface. These cells possess a subapical band of microfilaments. The cellular shape change but not the bending of the arms is reversibly inhibited by Cytochalasin B. These observations suggest a mechanism for this change. (3) The former lining of the vestibule of the urchin rudiment comes to lie over the collapsed larval tissue and forms the adult epithelium. At this point, after only one hour, the larva has assumed the external shape of an adult sea urchin.

Notes: The mucous gland of the red-spotted newt, Notophthalamus viridescens viridescens, Rafinesque was examined by histochemical and ultrastructural techniques and its cytological responses to various hormonal conditions were studied. Its secretory epithelial cells produce and release in merocrine fashion a neutral, unsulphated mucosubstance. The secretory epithelium is bounded peripherally by a thin, but apparent non-functional, myo-epithelium. The duct of this mucous gland consists of a single keratinized tubular cell that extends from the neck region of the gland to the surface of the epidermis.Mucous secretion is absent or greatly reduced on the skins of newts maintained under laboratory conditions for a few weeks but reappears after injection of ovine prolactin. Mucous glands in laboratory conditioned animals show a 4-fold increase in volume brought about by the engorgement of their epithelial cells with secretory granules. Ovine prolactin reduces the volume of the glands to unconditioned levels with a corresponding reduction in granular content, suggesting that prolactin functions in the release of the granules. This view is reinforced by the findings that autotransplantation of the pituitary gland prevents the conditioning effect and that glandular volume increases in auto-transplanted animals given ergocornine. Granular accumulation begins also in hypophysectomized newts but ceases after a week, indicating the need for some hypophyseal factor in the synthesis as well as the release of the granules. Ovine prolactin restores mucous glands of hypophysectomized newts to the unconditioned state. Contrary to earlier findings, ovine prolactin induces a reduction in the volume of the mucous gland in thyroidectomized newts.

Notes: The process of coelomic pouch formation in Pisaster ochraceus was studied with light microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy and time-lapse cinemicrography as well as with the drug cytochalasin B. As in most asteroids, the paired coelomic pouches of Pisaster ochraceus are formed from outpocketing of the archenteron.Arrays of 50 Å microfilaments are found in the presumptive coelomic pouch cells at the apex of the archenteron as well as in the filopodia of the mesenchyme cells. Both cell types undergo active movements throughout the entire process. Treatment of embryos with cytochalasin B (CCB) during coelomic pouch formation results in the loss of cell movements and the regression of the coelomic pouches; this is accompanied by the loss of microfilament arrays in both cell types. Cell movements and microfilament arrays reappear on removal of CCB and coelomic pouch formation resumes.Our evidence suggests that the microfilaments in the presumptive coelomic pouch cells provide the main force for the outpocketing movement. The major role of the microfilament arrays in the filopodia of the mesenchyme cells associated with the coelomic pouches is to determine the definitive shape and location of the pouches.

Notes: Morphological changes of the ovary of the Chinese cobra, Naja naja, throughout the annual reproductive cycle are described. A single clutch of between 6 and 22 eggs is produced in late June. From July to the following April the ovary remains quiescent and contains small previtellogenic, hydration stage follicles. The growth of an ovarian follicle from a primary oocyte to maturation and ovulation is estimated to take three years. The histology of the germinal epithelium and the follicular granulosa shows seasonal changes correlated with the growth of the oocyte. During the quiescent period, the germinal epithelium lacks mitotic activity, but during April, when yolk deposition and rapid growth of the preovulatory follicles take place, the germinal epithelium shows intense mitotic activity. The growth of the smallest hydration stage follicles, and the occurrence of cytoplasmic bridges between the pyriform cells of the granulosa and the developing oocyte, also appear to increase during this period. The possible function of the pyriform cell is discussed and the literature on the origin and fate of these cells in the squamate ovary is reviewed. Postovulatory follicles (corpora lutea) and two types of atresia are described and compared with what is known of these structures in other reptiles.

Notes: An experiment was undertaken to determine which sensory structures of the mouse embryo inner ear developed from what portion of the mouse otocyst. Otocysts of gestation days 10, 11, 12 and 13 were divided by surgical dissection into six anatomical groups: dorsal, ventral, anterior, posterior, medial and lateral halves. They were organ cultured separately. After a period of ten days, the explanted tissues were harvested and processed histologically for microscopic analysis. The surgical control specimens fixed at the time of explanation were composed of undifferentiated ectodermal cells for tissues of gestation days 10, 11, and 12. Otocysts of gestation day ten showed no gross morphological differentiation. Otocysts of gestation days 11 and 12 showed, during the course of their subsequent growth, that the three semicircular ducts and their associated cristae developed from the dorsal and lateral halves. Only the anterior and posterior canals and cristae originated from the medial portion. The posterior half gave rise to the posterior crista and the anterior half provided for the development of the anterior and lateral cristae. The cochlear duct and its sensory epithelium developed in all the anatomical groups except the dorsal half. The utricle developed in the dorsal section of the middle third of the otocyst, while the utricular macula developed in the anterior half of the same section of the otocyst. The saccule and its macula differentiated from the ventral section of the middle third of the anterior half.

Notes: The pineal-paraphyseal complex of sea turtles is an impressively large structure which projects dorsally and anteriorly above the prosencephalon. The complex was examined by light microscopy in several age classes of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and from juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). The paraphysis is extensively fused to the distal portion of the pineal body, suggesting an interrelated function for these two tissues. No duct or canal was observed connecting the pineal lumen to the third ventricle. Two pineal cell types are described which appear to correspond to the neuroglial supportive cells and the secretory rudimentary photoreceptor cells of other amniotic vertebrates. A possible luminal secretion in the form of apical protrusions is produced by the latter cell type. No typical photoreceptive outer segments were observed.

Notes: The fine structure of the wax gland of Anomoneura nymph and its metamorphic change were investigated. In the nymph, this organ encircles the anus, and consists of two kinds of cells, derived from epidermal cells: (1) very tall, slim wax cells, which produce and secrete the wax, and (2) flat interstitial cells found among the wax cells. The whole gland is covered by a wax-secreting cuticle with a delicate surface sculpture. Each wax cell has a long, wide duct which opens at the cuticle and penetrates the entire cell. Its cytoplasm is rich in mitochondria and smooth endoplasmic reticulum while that of interstitial cells contains rough endoplasmic reticulum. During each nymphal molt, the cluster of primordial wax gland cells  -  derived from the epidermis  -  proliferates rapidly and forms the gland of the next instar. The gland of the preceding instar meanwhile degenerates. Interstitial cells play an important role in cuticle formation and shedding at each molt. These cells alone produce and deposit the new cuticle of the next instar; the wax cells, specialized for wax production, cannot produce cuticle. The apical portion of the wax cell is cut off from the main cell body by growth of the surrounding interstitial cells. Thereafter, the wax cells degenerate, resulting in the rapid disappearance of the previous instar's wax gland. Adults lack this gland entirely.

Notes: The dorsal ventricular ridge (DVR) is a subcortical, telencephalic structure in reptiles and birds that protrudes into the lateral ventricle. The structure of DVR has been studied in the red-eared turtle (Pseudemys scripta elegans) in Nissl and Golgi preparations. The DVR in Pseudemys is divided into the anterior dorsal ventricular ridge (ADVR) and the basal dorsal ventricular ridge (BDVR) by the dorsal branch of the middle ventricular sulcus. The structure of ADVR has been examined in detail.The ADVR is divided into four regions with distinct boundaries termed dorsal area, medial area, ventral area and central area. Dorsal area, medial area and ventral area border on the lateral ventricle; central area lies deep to the other areas. Three classes of neurons are found in Golgi preparations of ADVR. Juxtaependymal cells have somata near the perikarya of ependymal cells; their dendrites are found primarily in a periventricular fiber zone. Aspiny neurons were observed only in the dorsal half of ADVR and appear to be restricted to deep regions of the ridge. These multipolar neurons are rarely encountered in Golgi preparations, and the observed distribution may not represent their actual distribution in ADVR. The majority of the cells observed in ADVR are spiny neurons with dendritic fields that range from stellate to double-pyramidal. Cells in this class may be subdivided on the basis of axonal morphology into at least two groups, but further studies are needed to determine the range of axonal morphology exhibited by these neurons.An analysis of the distribution of these cell types in Golgi material shows that dorsal area, medial area and ventral area are organized in four zones concentric with the ventricular surface. Central area apparently lacks a concentric pattern of organization. Zone 1 is a periventricular fiber band that contains juxtaependymal neurons and ascending dendrites of zone 2 spiny neurons, and it may serve as a structural substrate for segregated input onto these cell populations. Zone 2 contains clusters of spiny neurons with apposed somata, which vary in size and distribution between areas. Dendrites of zone 4 neurons are also found in the deep half of zone 2. Zone 3 is a cell-poor region which lies at the center of a region of overlapping dendritic fields of zone 2 and zone 4 neurons. Zone 4 contains predominantly spiny neurons (aspiny neurons are found only in the dorsal half of ADVR) which are either isolated or in small clusters with apposed somata. Dendrites of zone 2 cells extend superficially into zone 4, so that the deep portions of zone 4 may be a substrate for segregated input to zone 4 neurons. These zones are differentially elaborated in each area. Central area, by contrast, consists of scattered spiny and aspiny neurons among fibers connecting ADVR and the lateral forebrain bundle.A comparison of these findings with the ADVR of snakes (Ulinski, '78a,b) shows both similarities and differences in DVR organization in the two taxa. Although snakes lack areal divisions, ADVR is organized in four concentric zones (zones A-D). Zones A and B resemble zones 1 and 2 in turtles, consisting of a superficial fiber zone and a subjacent cell cluster zone. The clusters are smaller in snakes than in turtles. However, snakes lack a cell-poor band deep to zone B, and dendrites of cells in zone C enter zone A. Thus, there are differences in both areal and zonal dimensions of ADVR organization in turtles and snakes.

Notes: Ultrathin sections of the nasal barbel of the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, were studied in the electron microscope and the fine structure was compared to that of barbels of other teleosts and to the mandibular (dentary) barbels of I. punctatus. While the overall histology of the nasal barbel is similar to that of barbels described previously, this study revealed far greater cellular complexity and variability than was previously reported. A layer of stratified epidermal cells rests upon a connective tissue dermis containing a cartilage rod, a large number of nerve fibers and numerous blood vessels, fibroblasts and pigment cells. Taste buds are present in the epidermal layer. This layer was found to contain probably 16 kinds of cell types, several of which may represent transitional stages, in addition to taste bud cells. Observations were made pertaining to innervation and cell types in the taste buds. A new terminology for designating the barbels of I. punctatus is suggested.

Notes: New data on the brain of Latimeria indicate that previous estimates of the brain weight were too high by a factor of two. Our data suggest a brain weight of 1.1-1.5 grams for a specimen with a body weight of 30 kilograms. Quantitative data on major divisions of the brain are presented for the first time, and the relative size of the major brain divisions is similar to that of sturgeons and generalized sharks (such as hexanchids and squalids). Examination of brain component weight (s): body weight plots in a sample of non-teleost actinopterygian fishes indicates that all major divisions of the brain, except the telencephalon, are larger than in Latimeria. Brain component sizes in Latimeria are more similar to those extrapolated for amphibian brains than to those for actinopterygians. However, the cerebellum of Latimeria is considerably larger than that of amphibians.

Notes: The Champy-Maillet osmium tetroxide-zinc iodide technique and a new method using azur B-sodium thioglycolate were used to study the general nervous tissue structure in planarians. A subepidermal and a submuscular nerve plexus, partially reported by earlier authors, are described, and a gastrodermal plexus is reported for the first time in triclads. The possible functions for each one of these plexuses are discussed. By the Champy-Maillet method, the innervation within the parenchyma appears as an array of numerous single nerve fibers that course between the parenchyma cells making apparent synaptic contacts. The pharynx has outer and inner nerve nets similar in structure to the submuscular nerve plexus. Both nerve nets are connected to each other by radial nerves.The central nervous system has a sponge-like structure with many lacunae filled with cell bodies, dorso-ventral muscle fibers, parenchymal cell processes and excretory ducts. The existence of this sponge-like nervous tissue structure is discussed in relation to the still incomplete centralization of the nervous tissue in these organisms, to the lack of a true vascular system and to the acoelomate level of organization. A comparison with the nervous tissue structure of more advanced groups like polyclads and nemertines is suggested.

Notes: Secretion in the salivary glands of Gromphadorhina portentosa involves three cell types: parietal cells, secretory cells, and duct cells. The organization and role of the parietal and secretory cells are here considered. Parietal cells have numerous mitochondria, indicating an active metabolic role and the subsequent production of ATP. Plasma membrane invaginations and intracellular ductules containing microvilli appear to function in the absorption of solutes from the hemolymph and finely-tapered ductules. Secretory cells contain abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum, the three forms (stacked, vesicular, and diffuse) of which appear to develop sequentially during maturation. Secretory vesicle formation is asynchronous between adjacent secretory cells, and apparently the large vesicles often coalesce. The secretory vesicles also show differing degrees of electron density, indicating distinct biochemical composition.

Notes: Studies were undertaken of the microcirculation and histology of the gill of Protopterus aethiopicus as a prerequisite for elucidating the function of the gills in a bimodal respiratory system. The lamellae of the gill-bearing arches (I, IV, V, VI) resembles the arborescent external gill of the larval amphibian rather than the gill of the teleost or selachian.The arterio-arterial system (a-a) of the gill consists of an afferent artery, a series of large capillaries, and an efferent artery on each of the primary, secondary and tertiary lamellae. There are no pillar cells and the loose capillaries are covered with a multilayered epithelium. While living in water, the minimum distance for gas exchange is of the order of 5 μ. An afferent-efferent arterial shunt at the base of each primary lamella may be involved in control of lamellar blood flow and the resistance of the gill vasculature.The arterio-venous system originates primarily from the efferent side of the arterio-arterial system and drains into large branchial veins. Numerous contractile cisternae, interposed between intercellular channels and veins, presumably function as micropumps that collect fluid from intercellular epithelial spaces and inject it into the venous circulation.During aestivation, the epithelial layer of the gill lamellae becomes thinner. The entire gill vasculature, including the capillaries and afferent-efferent shunts on arches IV-VI, are very dilated which presumably promotes blood flow through these gill arches to the lungs.

Notes: The movements of the shoulder girdle of eight adult cats during overground stepping were studied, using standard slow motion cinematographic techniques. The patterns of activity of shoulder muscles were examined, using simultaneous intramuscular electromyography. Walking, trotting and galloping steps were analyzed from digitized single motion picture frame images. Angular movements of the shoulder girdle consist of biphasic flexion and extension of the shoulder joint and a monophasic flexion-extension alternation of the scapula on the thorax during each step cycle. In addition, the center of the scapula moves craniad during the swing phase and caudad during the stance phase with respect to a fixed reference point on the animal. Similar vertical movements of the center of the scapula also occur in each step cycle. Results of EMG studies of the 17 muscles capable of acting on the shoulder girdle indicate that three overall patterns of activity are found: (1) a pattern typical of extensor muscles, active during all the extension epochs; (2) a pattern typical of flexor muscles, active during the flexion epoch; and (3) a biphasic pattern of activity, active twice in each step. These data are used, along with a re-examination of previous models of the mechanics of the shoulder girdle of carnivores to examine the function and mechanics of shoulder motion. It is concluded that the rotary and translatory movements of the shoulder girdle during stepping combine to enhance step length.

Notes: The most striking morphological feature of the ovarian epithelium of Cymatogaster is the presence of intercellular dilations during much of the year. These dilations increase markedly in volume during the several months prior to ovulation and fertilization, and decrease in volume during the months of embryogenesis and gestation. The epithelium then returns to its initial, relatively undifferentiated state. The extracellular material within the dilations likely is synthesized in the cells adjacent to or within the dilations. Apparently most of this material is released into the ovarian lumen when the apicolateral margins of adjacent epithelial cells pull apart; possibly it serves as nutrient for developing embryos.In addition to supporting embryogenesis, the ovarian epithelium also apparently is involved in sperm storage. Sperm are maintained within pockets in the ovarian epithelium for the several months between insemination and fertilization. The cells lining the sperm pocket do not develop the intercellular dilations characteristic of most of the ovarian epithelium, and sperm remain associated only with the sperm pocket cells.

Notes: The antennae of Folsomia candida and Hypogastrura copiosa are provided with tactile hairs on all four segments and, in addition, with chemoreceptors on segments three and four. The cuticle of the thin-walled chemo-receptors of Folsomia, as in most other insects, is penetrated by many small pores uniformly distributed over the surface. In contrast, the cuticle of the thin-walled chemoreceptors of Hypogastrura is unusual in that a band of cuticle without perforations spirals around, or partly around, the hair. The cuticle between the spirals is very thin, and has extremely small openings in it. The tip of the antenna of Folsomia is thin, permeable to dyes in aqueous solution and apparently glandular. The antennal tip of Hypogastrura is definitely glandular.

Notes: After hemisection of the spinal cord and medulla oblongata, a projection has been traced to the inner half of the tectal white of the tiger salamander, using Fink-Heimer degeneration staining. By microelectrode recording it was found that the tectal projection forms a topographic somatosensory map of the contralateral half of the body. This map is in register with the overlying retino-tectal visual projection. Using the Falck-Hillarp technique, it was found that the somatosensory tectal input is associated with yellow-fluorescing 5-hydroxytryptamine fibers.

Notes: A comparative morphological study concerning typology and topography of chemoreceptors on the prothoracic legs of Calliphora vicina, Phormia terranovae and Musca domestica has been carried out. The typological criteria of Grabowski and Dethier ('54) and Hansen and Heumann ('71) were used. A single criterion, the shape of the tip, was used to define the different types of chemoreceptors.A-hairs have a rhombic pore at the side of the tip; B-hairs have an oval pore at the tip apex and D-hairs have a rectangular pore under an undulated, cap-like structure at the hair tip. A-, B-and D-hairs were found in the tarsomeres of Phormia; in Musca and Calliphora only B- and D-hairs were found. An opening and closing mechanism may operate on the pores of the tips of the chemoreceptors. Chemoreceptors were counted and a topographical map was completed, using SEM-techniques. Topographical maps are of value in electrophysiological and behavioural research, where only a limited optical magnification is possible.

Notes: The structures of the lantern tracheoles of three genera of flashing fireflies are compared. All three genera have stiff, reinforced tracheoles which resist folding or collapsing under conditions which flatten more typical tracheoles. This common specialization supports the hypothesis that the tracheoles play a major role in flash control in these fireflies, especially as the morphological basis of the stiffening is different in the three genera. Study of the tracheoles of other tissues reveals that there is great variety in structure and flexibility of these vessels from tissue to tissue and organism to organism, suggesting that tracheolar specialization may be a general phenomenon, with the fine structure of these air tubes being tailored to the particular demands and conditions of the tissues in which they are found.

Notes: Tibiotarsal segments of 12-day chick embryos homozygous for the crooked neck dwarf gene (cn/cn) were examined histologically following routine methods of preparation. The myogenic mass fails to divide into separate muscle bundles during the early stages of differentiation. Myoblasts and myotubes are observed, although the proportion favors the mononucleate cell population. Multinucleate myotubes are often wavy in appearance and many contain eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions. The entire tissue mass of mutants appears more compacted than in control limbs. Poor organization of muscle appears related to the lack of a suitable connective tissue system. Epimysia, perimysia, and subcutaneous connective tissue fail to develop properly. Tendons are poorly developed or absent. Comparisons between mutant and control embryos show no differences in peripheral innervation. Nerve fascicles penetrate deeply into the developing muscle of both species. The distribution of vascular elements is seemingly normal also. Skeletal muscle of cn/cn embryos is capable of differentiating to the myotube stage, after which it undergoes cellular degeneration without achieving a functional state. Comparisons of this mutant with alleged chemical phenocopies show important differences.

Notes: The histology and carbohydrate histochemistry of eight teleostean stomachs are compared. Three gross anatomical types of stomachs are described and their shapes appear to correlate somewhat with feeding habits. Each type can be divided histologically into a corpus and pylorus. Gastric glands, containing only one cell type, occur in the copora of all species, but are present in the pylori of esocids only. As a single cell can produce both enzymes and hydrochloric acid such cells may be comparable to those of amphibians but not mammals. Lamina propria and submucosa are indistinctly separated in corpora but better defined in pylori by an intervening muscularis mucosa. The arrangement of the muscularis into inner circular and outer longitudinal layers is the opposite of that seen in the esophagus. Gastric mucous cells show species variations in localization of epithelial mucosubstances, which in broad terms are recognized as sulfomucins, sialomucins and neutral mucosubstances. A piscivorous diet does not appear to demand any particular type of carbohydrate. Within the Centrarchidae, gastric pit cells vary in carbohydrate content from only neutral mucosubstance to only weakly acidic sulfomucin; two species contain both types. A positive PAS reaction on the surface of gastric epithelial cells is suggestive of a striated border and thus possibly absorptive function. The absence of stomachs in some teleosts and the evolutionary and dietary significances are discussed.

Notes: The American cockroach has a total of 368 muscles inserting on the post-coxal segments of its legs. By using a narrow morphological definition for delimiting individual muscles, it is shown (i) that the protrochanteral musculatures (23 muscles/leg) differ from the essentially identical meso- and metatrochanteral musculatures (24 and 26 muscles/leg) in number and disposition of extensors and in having a completely different flexor composition, and (ii) that the musculatures of the more distal segments of the legs are completely serially homologous, there being 2 muscles for moving each femur, 23 for each tibia, 7 for each first tarsomere, and 5 for each of the paired pretarsal claws. In all six legs, the trochanteral and tibial musculatures each contain single slender muscles that may be acting proprioceptively to measure the angular displacements between, respectively, the coxas and trochanters, and the femurs and tibias. Neurological and phylogenetic considerations are used to demonstrate why a narrow morphological definition should be employed, and why the widely used functional definition of Snodgrass ('35) is not only fallacious on evolutionary grounds, but also leads to making erroneous conclusions regarding the manner in which insect musculature is controlled by the insect central nervous system. Finally, it is hypothesized that the physiological limitations imposed by having an open circulatory system and the problems inherent in the neural control of large muscles may have been major evolutionary factors in forcing insects to use many slender muscles to control their body movements.

Notes: Among piscivorous cichlids consistent differences have been recorded between ambush and pursuit hunters with respect to electromyographic, kinematic, pressure and behavioral profiles during prey capture by high speed inertial suction. Piscivorous cichlids possess a repertoire of at least two patterns of prey capture, each of which is characterized by an extreme regularity of the kinematic, pressure, electromyographic and behavioral profiles. The nature and locomotory behavior of the prey, visually analyzed by the predator during the prestrike stalk, determine which of the two preprogrammed patterns is recruited. Agile and elusive prey invariably will elicit a preprogrammed motor output (stereotyped motor pattern) that produces the greatest suction velocities in both ambush and pursuit hunters. The greater the kinematic and suction velocities, the greater the overlap of the firing sequences of antagonistic muscle complexes. The opercular and branchiostegal apparati function as an exceedingly effective anti-backwash device, damping potential fluid oscillations within the oropharynx. Mastication occurs by triphasic movements and actions of muscles of the upper and lower pharyngeal jaws in both ambush and pursuit hunters. The lower pharyngeal jaw is acted upon by a force couple of which the fourth levator externus on one hand and the pharyngocleithralis externus and pharyngohyoideus on the other hand are the antagonistic components. Furthermore, the lower pharyngeal jaw is suspended by a muscular sling, the tension of which can be modified continuously. It is postulated that the switch from insectivorous to piscivorous feeding regimes (and perhaps vice versa) is accomplished by very minor structural and functional modifications, because the modulatory multiplicity and total range of repertories of the feeding machinery of the two trophic groups overlap significantly. Piscivorous cichlids may not have arisen by orthoselection in gradually-changing lineages, but represent the differential success of subsets from a random pool of speciation events. Adaptive features identified as characteristic for piscivory could have evolved in multiple and independent lineages at a punctuational mode and tempo.

Notes: Teleost enameloid matrix has been proposed to be an ectodermal, mesodermal, or joint ectodermal-mesodermal product. To determine its origin we examined the ultrastructure of the inner dental epithelium (IDE), odontoblasts, enameloid, and dentin matrices of cichlid tooth buds at the stage of enameloid formation. © Alan R. Liss, Inc.Columnar IDE cells had apical and basal terminal webs and contained organelles associated with protein synthesis, including elongated secretory granules containing fibrillar material having cross-striations with 60-nm periodicity. The morphology of IDE secretory granules was typical of procollagen granules observed in a large variety of ectodermal and mesodermal cells synthesizing collagen. In contrast, the paucity of secretory granules within three odontoblast types indicates that these cells probably do not synthesize enameloid matrix. These observations are consistent with the idea that the bulk of the enameloid matrix is itself an ectodermal collagen synthesized and secreted by IDE cells.

Notes: The morphology and fine structure of the basilar recess and basilar papilla were investigated in four species of salamanders from the family Ambystomatidae. The otic relationships of the recess and papilla to the proximal part of the lagena and saccule are described, and new terminology is suggested for the periotic relationships of the basilar recess to a diverticulum of an intracapsular periotic sac. The basilar papilla consists of supporting cells united laterally by gap junctions, capped by microvilli uniformly arranged around a short, central cilium, and hair cells that typically show several synapses with a single afferent nerve fiber, each marked by a rounded synaptic body surrounded by vesicles. In contrast to anuran basilar papillae, efferent nerve terminals were observed in synapse with hair cells and, rarely, upon afferent fibers. The distal half of the ambystomatid papilla contained hair cells capped by tall ciliary bundles, with kinocilia that show swellings near their tips with delicate attachments to adjacent tall stereocilia. A tectorial body covers only this region of the papilla. Hair cells with shorter stereocilia, situated in the proximal half and at the papillar margins, are related only to filamentous extensions of the tectorial body. The ambystomatid basilar recess and papilla are compared to auditory end-organs in other vertebrates, and it is suggested that a basic distinction can be made between aural neuroepithelia in amniotes versus that in nonamniotic vertebrate ears.

Notes: Length-force relations, both active and passive, and twitch contraction characteristics were quantified for left medial gastrocnemius muscles of four young, four adult, and four old male Wistar rats. Muscle and bundle optimum length and muscle weight were also determined and subsequently used for calculation of a number of morphological characteristics of the muscles. Fiber optimum length was derived from muscle bundle optimum length. Generally, physiological characteristics remained constant during growth. There was no change either in active tension at muscle optimum length or in active working range relative to fiber optimum length, relative passive fiber stiffness, active force relative to passive force at optimum length, twitch contraction time and twitch half relaxation time at optimum length. A number of morphological changes, however, did take place in the medial gastrocnemius muscle during growth. Fiber optimum length increased but only by about 2 mm from youth to old age, whereas muscle optimum length increased by approximately 14 mm, presumably owing to extensive hypertrophy of the muscle fibers during growth. The priority for force of the medial gastrocnemius muscle (defined as the quotient of physiological cross-sectional area of a muscle and the cubed root of its volume, a measure independent of architecture and dimensions of muscles) increased during growth. This increase indicates that during growth the muscle shifts relatively more towards force generation than towards excursion generation. These findings are discussed in view of existing scaling theories.

Notes: An atlas of the brain of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus is developed. All of the neuronal groups are identified and named, and regions of neuropil are segregated and named where possible. The nomenclature incorporates functionally neutral earlier names and assigns geographical names to newly distinguished structures. The atlas provides a basis for correlating the results of neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and neurochemical studies, which yield information about individual neurons or groups of neurons in this species

Notes: In addition to the supralabial glands (strips of glandular tissue lying along the maxilla), most snakes of the family Colubridae possess an enlarged oral gland lying behind the eye and emptying near the rear maxillary teeth, the Duvernoy's gland. Duvernoy's gland is most probably homologous to the venom gland of viperid and elapid snakes, and occasionally has been implicated in cases of human envenomation. Although of possible medical concern, there is reason to believe that secretion from this gland serves a biological role different from that of the venom gland, namely a role primarily in digestion rather then largely in rapid prey immobilization. The parenchyma of the Duvernoy's gland comprise two cell types, a serous cell containing numerous, electron-dense secretory granules, and myoepithelial cells. There are no mucous cells in the parenchyma; instead cells of this type are located exclusively in the lining epithelium of the main duct. Numerous unmyelinated nerves pass between secretory acini. Observations of the supralabial gland reveal that this gland, in addition to serous cells, also contains mucous cells and a putative third cell type we designate as an intermediate cell.In cellular morphology, Duvernoy's gland is closest to the venom gland of elapids, and least like the venom gland of viperids. Compared to the venom glands in both families of venomous snakes, Duvernoy's gland lacks a large luminal secretory reservoir. Emptying of Duvernoy's gland is thought to involve release of secretion granules into the lumen, and movement of the secretory product from there may be supplemented by mechanical pressure exerted externally by nearby contracting striated mucles. These differences in structure and mechanism of secretion release are taken as evidence that although they are homologous, the two types of glands, Duvernoy's and venom glands, are functionally distinct.

Notes: Regional differences of the surface of planarian gastrodermal cells are emphasized by staining with ruthenium red (RR). It is proposed that such differences reflect functional diversity of the luminal, lateral, and basal surfaces of the cells. The luminal surface is coated with a uniform layer of the RR-positive substance, which penetrates into the intercellular space at the intermediate junction. The septate junction situated just beneath the intermediate junction shows a permeability barrier to the RR tracer. At the basolateral surface, however, RR stains the septate junction in which the electron density of individual septa is enhanced remarkably. The gastrodermal cells are delineated entirely with RR-positive substance passing freely through the gap junction fuses into the outer leaflets of adjacent plasma membranes. The irregularly dilated intercellular space at nonjunctional appositions includes a slight deposit of RR-positive substance which attaches to the plasma membrane. The basal surface is underlined by the continuous basal lamina, which consists of the lamina lucida and the lamina densa. The lamina densa has a conspicuous affinity for RR. The lamina lucida is characterized by irregular deposits of RR-positive substance, some of which concentrates on the hemidesmosomal portions. Treatment with the enzyme hyaluronidase prior to staining with RR abolishes the staining of the basal lamina. As a result, the material of the lamina densa appears flocculent.

Notes: The morphology and histology of the tongue in Sphenodon punctatus are described and used to infer function and to determine character state polarities in lepidosaurs. The tongue lacks an anterior notch and is covered with filamentous papillae, including specialized gustatory papillae containing taste buds. Lingual glands are restricted to mucocytes covering the papillae. Three intrinsic tongue muscles are identified and shown to be discrete fiber systems and not merely elaborations of the M. hyoglossus. These muscles interact with a connective tissue skeleton, particularly three septal planes, to cause changes in tongue shape. Tongue protrusion is probably caused by hyoid protraction and contraction of posterior genioglossus fibers; retraction by hyoid retraction, hyoglossus contraction, and contraction of anterior genioglossus fibers.It is argued that taste is important in prey discrimination and possibly in courtship. Vomeronasal function is probably mediated by inhalation and not tongue movement.Insertion of genioglossus fibers into the buccal floor is a derived feature of lepidosaur tongues. Derived features of squamate tongues include an anterior bifurcation, a divided genioglossus comprising medial and lateral portions, ventral transverse and circular muscle fiber systems around the hyoglossus, and the presence of a median septum. The tongue of the squamate family Iguanidae shares many plesiomorphic features with Sphenodon.

Notes: The epithelium of the ileum of Locusta migratoria is composed of a single layer of columnar cells surrounded on the luminal side by cuticle and on the haemocoel side by a circular muscle layer. Where the circular muscles contact the epithelium, longitudinal muscles are present and the epithelium is slightly reduced. Elsewhere, a subepithelial sinus separates the epithelium from the circular muscle layer. The epithelial cells are characterised by extensive infoldings of the apical and basal cell membranes, which in the latter case, produce a maze of interconnecting channels and spaces. Mitochondria are closely associated with both apical and basal infoldings, although the bulk of these organelles is located in the cytoplasm underlying the infoldings of the apical plasma membrane. Vesicles of assorted sizes occur throughout the cytoplasm. They are particularly abundant in the apical region, where they appear to be produced by pinocytosis. Larger vesicles, containing either material of varying electron density or smaller vesicles, occur in the medial and basal regions of the cells. The contents of some of these vesicles have, in section, a lamellar appearance, composed of concentric layers of material. Similar vesicles are present in the basement membrane as well as the cells and connective tissue of the subepithelial sinus. Microtubules and groups of ribosomes commonly occur throughout the cytoplasm, and lipid-like droplets are also present in some of the cells. Ultrastructural features of the epithelial cells are discussed in relation to current knowledge of the function of the ileum.

Notes: This work is concerned with the ultrastructural organization and some histochemical features of the vacuolar cells of the demosponge Oscarella lobularis. Vacuolar cells are characterized by large clear vacuoles containing an aqueous fluid. They are commonly found in the mesohyl of this sponge and tend to constitute a sort of parenchyma in the choanosome. Mobile cells of the mesohyl appear to differetiate into vacuolar cells through the progressive formation of wide cytoplasmic lacunae. We have identified four types of cells showing progressive transformation toward the vacuolar cell type. Precursors (types 1-4) of the vacuolar cells probably derive from endopinacocytes, since they share several histochemical and ultrastructural characteristics with them. Our data support the notion that vacuolar cells are involved in the synthesis of collagen, act as a mechanical support of the sponge body, and are eventually extruded from the sponge through the canals of the aquiferous system.

Notes: The innervation of the mandibular nerve of the worker honey bee was investigated primarily with methylene blue vital staining. Results on the motor innervation were compared with those of earlier work, yielding some corrections and new findings. The nerve to the mandibular abductor muscle not only carries motor fibers but also supplies sensory branches to the head integument and to the presumptive proprioceptors which probably monitor movements of the proboscis. A small neural mass which is equipped with two systems for proprioception is situated at the point where the mandibular nerve divides into its major branches. One system is composed of receptor muscles stretched between the anterior tentorial arm (AT) and the mandible and multipolar cells. The other is composed of elastic strands between AT and the apodeme of a smaller branch of the mandibular adductor and tripolar cells. The former is stretched by mandibular abduction and the latter by adduction. The two systems collectively are called the mandibular muscle receptor organ. There are two groups of receptor muscles: the outer receptor muscle, which is located outside the neural mass, and the inner receptor muscle located within. Only the latter is innervated by multipolar cells. Another, single, multipolar cell is attached to the surface of the tendon of the inner receptor muscle. A further pair of bipolar-multiterminal cells attaches to the epidermis at the extremity of the apodeme of the mandibular adductor. One originates from the mandibular nerve and the other from the labral nerve. Both presumably respond to the epidermal expansion caused by mandibular abduction.

Notes: A tympanohyal bone is reported in dolphins for the first time. The exceptional occurrence of this element in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and its location in a furrow of the tympanic can be taken as a vestige of an ancestral conformation indicating that, in cetacean ancestry, uncoupling of the periotic from the mastoid must have taken place laterally and dorsally to attachment of the hyoid arch and the stylomastoid foramen. There is a good correspondence between morphology and topographical relations of structures surrounding the facial canal in toothed whales and terres-trial mammals (especially perissodactyls and artiodactyls).During early cetacean evolution, the tympanic had to undergo strong modification because of its functional correlation with the periotic. In precetaceans, the tympanic was probably loosely attached to neighboring skull bones, while at the same time it was suspended from the periotic via the tympanohyal. The earliest known cetaceans obviously lost this indirect osseous suspension but retained the peripheral attachments of the tympanic. In advanced archeocetes, two of these attachments are maintained but have shifted onto the periotic. In modern dolphins, the tympanic is in firm osseous contact exclusively with the periotic (tympano-periotic complex). Both elements are isolated from the skull acoustically and form a separate mechanical unit specialized for high-frequency underwater sound perception.

Notes: The ultrastructure of the morula cells of Eupentacta quinquesemita and the distribution of these cells in the dermal connective tissue are described. Morula cells are abundant in the dermis and appear to function in the maintenance of the extracellular matrix (ECM) as a source of ground substance material. The synthetic activity of these cells is described in detail. Morula cells are filled with large secretory vesicles containing three electrondense materials which are derived from rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi activity. The synthetic product of these cells contains glycosaminoglycans and is secreted into the ECM by degranulation. The ultrastructural and histochemical similarity of the degranulation product to the ECM ground substance suggests that they are comprised of the same material. Morula cells appear to function primarily in connective tissues where ground substance predominates. The cells often contain secretory vesicles at various stages of formation, all of which eventually mature and degranulate. The synthetic pathway of the morula cells appears to result ultimately in the complete disruption and death of the cells. The function of morula cells in the holothuroid ECM is discussed, and the synthetic activity of the cells is compared with that of other secretory cells.

Notes: Early events during mouth formation in embryos of the starfish Pisaster ochraceus have been studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Embryos examined by TEM were fixed in glutaraldehyde with Alcian blue, a dye which preserves extracellular materials. Initially, mesenchyme cells migrate off the tip of the archenteron, leaving a defect in the cell layer that is covered by the basal lamina. This region of “naked” basal lamina bulges into the blastocoele and forms a hemispherical blister. At the same time that this is occurring, filamentous and conical processes extend from the inner surface of the presumptive stomodeal ectoderm cells which are located directly opposite the bulge of basal lamina. These processes penetrate the ectodermal basal lamina and project “naked” plasmalemma into the blastocoele. Shortly after this, the blister of endodermal basal lamina becomes irregular in shape, and scattered cells are found both within the blister and between it and the presumptive stomodeal ectoderm cells. Processes of endodermal cells appear to make contact with the filamentous processes of the stomodeal ectoderm cells. In other embryos which appear to be at a slightly later stage, the free basal lamina is conical in shape and is associated with at least one conical ectodermal process. In yet other embryos, the free endodermal basal lamina is either in contact with several other large processes forming a circular region of contact, or the free endodermal and ectodermal basal laminae are fused at the edge of the circle. Degeneration of both the ectodermal and endodermal basal laminae located within the circle, and subsequent invagination of the stomodeal ectoderm, appear to complete this process. The pulsations of stomodeal ectodermal cells seen throughout early stages in mouth formation may be involved in these events.

Notes: The vascularization of the distal accessory flexor muscle (DAFM) in the walking legs of the lobster, Homarus americanus, was examined with dye injection and electron microscopy. Vascularization of this flat, thin DAFM is via two vessels, one supplying the tendinal region of the muscle and the other the exoskeletal region. The vessels that originate from the single major limb vessel, subdivide extensively over the DAFM and form a profuse network that has hitherto gone unnoticed. The degree of vascularization of individual fibers was determined by periodic sampling along its length with thin-section electron microscopy. At each and every sampling station, individual fibers had several (seven to eight), small-diameter (4 μm) blood vessels in their cross-sectional profile. In contrast, nerve terminals of the excitor and inhibitor axon were rarely encountered. This high degree of vascularization was found amongst fibers that are from different regions of the DAFM and differ in the performance of their excitatory synapse but are similar in their structural and contractile properties.

Notes: The secondary palate of mammals is a bony shelf that closes the ventral aspect of the rostrum. The rostrum, therefore, approximates to a tapered semicylindrical tube that is theoretically a mechanically efficient structure for resisting the forces of biting, including the more prolonged bouts of mastication typical of mammals. Certain mammal-like reptiles illustrate stages in the development of the palate in which the shelves projecting medially from each premaxilla and maxilla do not meet in the midline. We evaluate several geometric properties of sections through the rostrum of the American opossum (Didelphis virginiana). For loading at the incisors and canines, these properties indicate the structural strength and stiffness in both bending and torsion of the rostrum and of single maxillae. We then repeat the analysis but progressively omit segments of the palatal shelf, a procedure which simulates, in reverse, the evolutionary development of the structure. The results demonstrate that the secondary palate contributes significantly to the torsional strength and stiffness of the rostrum of Didelphis and to the strength of each maxilla in lateromedial bending. The major evolutionary implications of the results are that the rapid increase in rostral strength with small increments of the palatal shelves may have been a significant factor in the development of the complete structure. The results indicate that there was a marked jump in torsional strength and stiffness when the shelves met in the midline, which is likely to have been important in the subsequent development of the diverse masticatory mechanisms of cynodonts and mammals. On the basis of this analysis the mammalian secondary palate may be interpreted as one of a number of methods, seen in the mammal-like reptiles, for strengthening the rostrum.

Notes: Data from adult birds, crocodilians, Sphenodon, squamates, turtles, and from the chick embryo are compared to test conflicting hypotheses of homology of the deep dorsal thigh muscles of birds and other reptiles. This comparison suggests that: (1) avian Mm. iliofemoralis externus and iliotrochantericus caudalis (herein renamed “iliofemoralis cranialis”) are homologous with M. iliofemoralis of other reptiles; (2) avian Mm. iliotrochanterici cranialis and medius are homologous with one of two divisions of M. pubo-ischio-femoralis internus found in other reptiles (pars dorsalis of Crocodylia); (3) avian M. iliofemoralis internus (herein renamed “cuppedicus”) is homologous with the other division of M. pubo-ischio-femoralis internus (pars medialis of Crocodylia). This hypothesis implies a minimum of seven transformations in the number of muscles and their positions of origin and insertion in the evolution of Aves, five of which are recapitulated during ontogeny of the chick. The traditional recognition of three muscles in the “iliotrochantericus group” is topographically accurate, but it is a misnomer and has been a source of misdirection when these muscles are studied in a phylogenetic context. Variations within Aves in the presence of the iliotrochantericus muscles (cranialis or medius) and the iliofemoralis muscles (externus or cranialis) are results of heterochronic perturbations of a conserved developmental program. Unlike most previous interpretations, this view of homology suggests that the evolution of avian bipedality was accompanied by few myological transformations, despite profound modification of the skeleton.

Notes: The ultrastructure of the parathyroid glands was studied in chick embryos developing normally in ovo or in shell-less culture (after removal of the eggshell). Shell-less chick embryos are significantly hypocalcemic relative to their in ovo counterparts. At 12 days of incubation, the parathyroid glands of shell-less embryos contain more lipid and show evidence of increased protein synthetic activity relative to those grown in ovo (more rough endoplasmic reticulum, presence of some dense secretory granules). The glands from in ovo embryos do not contain secretory granules at this age. At 15 days of incubation, the in ovo glands have developed signs of protein synthetic activity similar to those of the 12-day shell-less embryos. However, the parathyroids of the 15-day shell-less embryos appear strikingly more active than at 12 days, containing stacks of concentric RER membranes and increased numbers of secretory granules. By 18 days of incubation, the ultrastructure of the glands of the two groups is indistinguishable, both appearing to be more active than the 15-day shell-less group. Thus, protein synthetic activity of the parathyroid glands, as detected by ultrastructural alterations of the chief cells, normally appears to be initiated during the latter part of embryogenesis (by approximately 15 days incubation) and its onset can be stimulated at least 3 days prematurely by hypocalcemia.

Notes: The morphology of the opercularis system of anuran and caudate amphibians suggests that it acts to produce motion of the operculum that in turn produces fluid motion within the inner ear. The operculum and opercularis muscle form a lever system, with a narrow connection between the operculum and otic capsule acting as a fulcrum about which the operculum moves in response to forces applied via the muscle. The opercula of many species possess a muscular process on which the muscle inserts, thereby increasing the moment arm through which the muscle acts. The tonicity of the opercularis muscle allows tensile forces produced by substrate vibration or other mechanical energy applied to the forelimb to be effectively transmitted to the operculum; the elasticity of the connective tissue holding the operculum in place should act to return the operculum to its original position. The opercularis systems of frogs and non-plethodontid salamanders are similar structurally and functionally; that of plethodontid salamanders is structurally distinct but also functions as a lever system. Fluid motion produced by opercular motion could stimulate various end organs of the inner ear; the saccule, lagena, and amphibian papilla are in close approximation and wave energy could directly affect their otoconial or tectorial structures. In those anurans with a tympanic ear, the stapedial footplate and operculum articulate, but this articulation allows both to move independently. The stapes-tympanum complex and opercularis system therefore appear to be independent functional systems, and it is unlikely that the opercularis system modulates middle ear responsiveness. The general design of the opercularis system is consistent with a function in reception of substrate vibrations.

Notes: Species of the salamander genus Plethodon have a characteristically uniform morphology. Morphological conservatism at the level of interspecific comparisons, however, is not always reflected within species. Perhaps the most extreme example of intraspecific variation is the recent description of extensive variability in limb-skeletal patterning both within and between populations of the widespread species P. cinereus. We utilized limb regeneration following experimental amputation as a tool (1) to examine whether naturally occurring variant skeletal patterns result from limb loss and regeneration in nature, and (2) to assay the intrinsic (i.e., genetic) component of between-individual variation in mesopodial patterning. We observed the following. First, regenerate patterns are strikingly different from native patterns: interelement fusions in regenerates are typically between proximodistally adjacent cartilages, whereas interelement fusions in native variant limbs occur exclusively between laterally adjacent cartilages. Fusions also are over ten times more frequent in regenerates than in native limbs. Second, there is no strong correlation between native limb pattern (typical vs. variant) and the regenerate pattern. We conclude that variability in field-collected P. cinereus reflects extensive intrapopulation variation in limb-skeletal patterning during original limb development, rather than regeneration in nature, and that limb regeneration analysis provides no evidence of a strong genetic component to between-individual variation. Finally, unusual mesopodial patterns produced during limb regeneration may be related to the mechanical factors impinging on the regenerating limb in this terrestrial species.

Notes: The centra of Lepisosteus are perichondral ossifications of arcualia (i.e., arcocentra), whereas those of Amia are direct perichordal ossifications (i.e., autocentra) that enclose the arcualia. The preural centra of Lepisosteus are monospondylous, whereas the ural centra are formations of inter- and basidorsal arcualia. In contrast, the preural centra of Amia are diplospondylous, whereas preural centrum 1 (and sometimes preural centrum 2) and ural centra are monospondylous. The ural centra of Lepisosteus are expansions of dorsal arcualia, but those of Amia are expansions of the basiventral autocentrum. This explains the fusion of the neural arches with the ural centra and the presence of autogenous hypurals in Lepisosteus, in contrast to the situation in Amia in which the compound ural neural arch (the fused ural neural arches) is free, and the hypurals are fused to the ural centra. Lepisosteus possesses true epurals, which are modified neural spines, whereas in Amia the “epurals” are positioned between the neural spines like radials. Lepisosteus and Amia possess a polyural caudal skeleton with a one-to-one relationship between ural centra and hypurals; the number of hypurals may be reduced in adult Lepisosteus.

Notes: Samples of perirenal adipose tissue were obtained from four fetuses from each of seven crossbred gilts at each of three stages of gestation: 70, 90, and 110 days. Samples were routinely prepared for histochemistry and histology. At each age, the largest fat cell clusters were consistently located near points where large blood vessels entered the loose connective tissue. Cell-cluster size decreased with distance from the entry points of large blood vessels. Fat cells proximal to entry points of large arterioles and fat cells distal to entry points of large arterioles were the same size. Enzyme cytochemistry disclosed that reactions for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenose (G6PDH), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and NADH-TR enzymes were reduced in distal (relative to entry points of large arterioles) adipocytes compared with proximal adipocytes. Reactions for succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in adipocytes were not influenced by location within the tissue. Small fat cell clusters with sparse capillary beds surround arterioles in distal areas of sections from fetuses at 70, 90, and 110 days of gestation. In the proximal areas of sections from 110-day-old fetuses, arterioles were surrounded by large fat cell clusters with dense capillary beds. These characteristics serve to distinguish perirenal depots from subcutaneous depots in the fetus.

Notes: In an effort to understand the variation and probable origin of a female copulatory organ found in isopods of the asellote superfamily Janiroidea, the morphology of female reproductive structures among the Asellota was surveyed. Examples of four asellote superfamilies were studied using whole mount staining after potassium-hydroxide maceration or clearing with lactic acid. In contradiction to previous conclusions, the cuticular organ is shown to occur in the more primitive Asellota, although the position of its opening varies considerably. In the genera Asellus, and Stenetrium, Munna, and Santia, the cuticular organ originates adjacent to the oopore, and in the remaining janiroidean isopods, it is placed dorsally and usually anteriorly. This information permits a simple hypothesis explaining the origin of the cuticular organ: it was present in the proximate ancestor of the Asellota and evolved to the janiroidean condition by anterodorsal migration.

Notes: The spinal cord of two tetraodontiform fishes, the Japanese file fish (Navodon modestus) and the panther puffer (Takifugu pardalis), are unusual among vertebrates in having a markedly abbreviated spinal cord with a long and flattened filum terminale. Only the rostral short part of the cord of both species is cylindrical; the greater part of the cord is markedly flat. The majority of the spinal nerve roots leave the short cylindrical part. The flattened part of the cord contains the central canal, myelinated nerve fibers, and a few motoneurons surrounding the cauda equina, and it is histologically similar to the filum terminale of amphibians and mammals. The spinal cords of other teleosts, the sun-fish and angler, also are abbreviated and possess a filum terminale and cauda equina. These orders possess an enormous head and short trunk. However, the correlation between this body form and an abbreviated cord is not causal, since the tetraodontiform species described here show ordinary body proportions. The spinal cord may be abbreviated in tetraodontiform fishes in general.

Notes: Estivation in Protopterus is an episodic event characterized by elaboration of a cocoon as ambient water is withdrawn, a state of torpor, and distinctive cardiorespiratory and metabolic changes. Among the more striking of these features is a decrease in oxygen consumption, a complete reliance on air breathing to satisfy metabolic need, a slowing of the heart rate, and a drop in blood pressure. The initiating mechanism for these dramatic changes is not known. As yet, specific “estivating factors” have not been identified. However, the pattern of decrease in oxygen uptake during estivation and starvation are quite similar, suggesting that a common factor may be involved in both. Attempts to implicate suppression of thyroid function in the onset of estivation have been unconvincing. Although initiating mechanisms for estivation in Protopterus remain uncertain, once estivation sets in a variety of adaptive changes occur that enable the estivating lungfish to survive for months to years without ingesting food or water. Among these are oliguria and a shift in metabolic pathways. Although estivation in Protopterus has been characterized with respect to cardiorespiratory and metabolic parameters, no attempt is made to extrapolate from the biologic processes in Protopterus to other lepidosirenid lungfish or to other genera.

Notes: The cephalic muscles in three species of Entechinus, two species of Opheodrys, and Symphimus mayae display patterns of interspecific variation that are largely congruent with patterns of variation previously described for the skulls of these species. This congruence does not stem from direct correlation between the shapes of associated bones and muscles. In these colubrid snakes, most interspecific variations in muscle form involve changes in the shape or relative position of attachment points that appear unrelated to changes in the gross form of the bony surfaces forming the attachment points and produce no major changes in the architectural array of fibers in the muscle. Data presented here, combined with information from previous comparative studies of colubroid cephalic muscles, support the hypothesis that these muscles are limited in their potential variability by factors favoring parallel arrangements of fibers.

Notes: Formation of lateral vessels in the esophageal region of Prosorhochmus americanus embryos and coelomogenesis in the pygidial region of larval Magelona sp. are examined and compared. Earliest vessel rudiments of P. americanus are composed of a compact band of mesodermal cells (mesodermal band), lying on a layer of extracellular matrix (ECM) and lacking intercellular junctions. Rudiments are surrounded by presumptive muscle cells. Rudiments at later stages of differentiation possess lumina of differing sizes formed by a separation of apposing cell apices (schizocoely). Aohagrens junctions are apparent between lining cels of vessels following cavitation, and overlying muscle cells exhibit many myofilaments. Mesodermal bands of the recognized coelomate, Magelona sp. consist of glycogen-rich, mesodermal cells resting on ECM and joined by adhaerens junctions. Some of the cells possess a rudimentary cilium. Coelom formation occurs as a splitting of the cell band as is the case for P. americanus. Recognition of an accepted mode of coelomogenesis in P. americanus, correlated with morphological details of adult nemertine vessels, affirms the view that nemertine vessels are coelomic homologues.

Notes: Eggs of the asteroid Pisaster ochraceus demonstrate cortical granules, a thick vitelline membrane, and a poorly stained jelly coat similar to that seen on the eggs of other echinoderms. When fixed in the presence of alcian blue the jelly coat is seen to be made up of three regions, an inner layer consisting of a meshwork of fibres, a middle layer of thicker fibres, and a dense outer layer. At fertilization the cortical granules release their contents into the potential space between the vitelline layers and a low fertilization membrane consisting of the vitelline layer and a dense component of the corticle granule is formed. Initially the remaining contents of the corticle granules form an amorphous hyaline layer that fills the space between the plasma membrane and the fertilization membrane. At hatching a distinct hyaline layer is present. It persists at least to the bipinnaria stage and consists of four distinct layers. A similar layer is also located over much of the early embryonic endoderm but is lost from the regions involved in the formation of the mesenchyme cells, coelom, and mouth just before these events take place. Numerous large clear vesicles are located in the apex of all cells associated with a hyaline layer. Where the hyaline layer is lacking, only scattered vesicles are present suggesting that the vesicles may be involved in maintenance of the layer. Attempts to identify elements of the hyaline layer by immunofluorescence demonstrated that it appears to bind both antisera and control sera in a nonspecific manner.

Notes: Six fiber types have been described in the ambiens muscle of red-eared turtles. These include one slow oxidative type, two fast oxidative types, two fast oxidative and glycolytic types, and one fast glycolytic type. Fiber types are non-randomly distributed throughout cross sections of the muscle. There is a decreasing gradient of oxidative staining and an increasing gradient of glycolytic staining along an axis from the superficial to deep regions of the muscle. The slow oxidative fibers are predominantly located within one or two fascicles of the superficial surface of the muscle. The fast glycolytic fibers are predominant in deep fascicles.In contrast to previous reports of histochemically monotypic intrafusal fibers in turtle muscle, ambiens muscle spindles have been observed containing one to eleven intrafusal fibers, including two fiber types. Fiber diameter and area are consistently smaller than observed in most extrafusal fibers. Spindles are predominantly located in superficial and cranial fascicles of the ambiens muscle and are located in regions characterized by extrafusal fibers with high oxidative activity.

Notes: Ultrastructural examination of the head kidney of Periophthalmus koelreuteri (Pallas) (Teleostei, Gobiidae) revealed that the nephronic tubule cells are bound by tight junctions and desmosomes with little intercellular space. The first proximal segment (PI) consists of low columnar cells with well developed brush borders, indented nuclei, and numerous apical endocytic vesicles and lysosomes. A second cell type possessing clusters of apical cilia and lacking brush border and lysosomes is occasionally found between PI cells. The second proximal segment (PII) is formed of high columnar cells with brush border, regular spherical nuclei and numerous mitochondria located between well developed infoldings of the basal membrane. Single ciliary structures protrude into the lumen from PI and PII cells. The distal segment is lined by low columnar epithelium with few microvilli, regular spherical nuclei, numerous scattered mitochondria, and microbodies. The collecting tubule cells are cuboidal with few euchromatic nuclei, some mitochondria, and secondary lysosomes.

Notes: The feeding mechanism of the South American lungfish, Lepidosiren paradoxa retains many primitive teleostome characteristics. In particular, the process of initial prey capture shares four salient functional features with other primitive vertebrates: (1) prey capture by suction feeding, (2) cranial elevation at the cranio-vertebral joint during the mouth opening phase of the strike, (3) the hyoid apparatus plays a major role in mediating expansion of the oral cavity and is one biomechanical pathway involved in depressing the mandible, and (4) peak hyoid excursion occurs after maximum gape is achieved.Lepidosiren also possesses four key morphological and functional specializations of the feeding mechanism: (1) tooth plates, (2) an enlarged cranial rib serving as a site for the origin of muscles depressing the hyoid apparatus, (3) a depressor mandibulae muscle, apparently not homologous to that of amphibians, and (4) a complex sequence of manipulation and chewing of prey in the oral cavity prior to swallowing. The depressor madibulae is always active during mouth opening, in contrast to some previous suggestions.Chewing cycles include alternating adduction and transport phases. Between each adduction, food may be transported in or out of the buccal cavity to position it between the tooth plates. The depressor mandibulae muscle is active in a double-burst pattern during chewing, with the larger second burst serving to open the mouth during prey transport. Swallowing is characterized by prolonged activity in the hyoid constrictor musculature and the geniothoracicus.Lepidosiren uses hydraulic transport achieved by movements of the hyoid apparatus to position prey within the oral cavity. This function is analagous to that of the tongue in many tetrapods.

Notes: There are two discrete lobes comprising the armadillo subman-dibular gland. These two lobes can be defined grossly, histochemically and morphologically with the light and electron microscope. The minor lobe stains more intensely with PAS and AB. When viewed in the electron microscope, the secretory granules of the acinar cells within this lobe appear mucous-like. The granules of the demilune cells are slightly different in appearance. The secretory granules of the acinar cells in the major lobe contain many dense foci embedded in a fibrillar matrix, a substructure not described previously. The demilune cells of this lobe contain secretory granules with a mucous-like structure which is consistent throughout the entire lobe. As in the minor lobe, these demilune cells stain very intensely with PAS and AB.

Notes: End-plate distributions have been determined for three frog muscles of different morphology in order to relate end-plate topography to spatial muscle structure and nerve branching. Koelle's cholinesterase technique was applied, both on whole muscles and frozen sections. The end-plates of the short parallel-fibered cutaneus pectoris muscle appeared to be located in short bands along the nerve branches. The nerve tree is restricted to a zonal area across the middle part of the muscle. Depending on the way the nerve branches, the end-plate bands form innervation patterns, varying from one single continuous band to multiple distributed bands. In the latter case one frequently observes that different end-plate bands do not run across the same longitudinal muscle fiber area, although the respective nerve branches run parallel across this area. The long parallel-fibered sartorius muscle has a wider nerve tree and exhibits the same phenomenon for close parallel nerve branches, but end-plate bands along parallel nerve branches far apart cover the same muscle fiber area. The end-plate distribution in the bipennate, short-fibered gastrocnemius is zonal throughout the muscle except in certain compartments containing tonic fibers. The end-plate zone centers around the inner aponeurosis about half-way between the muscle tendon junctions of the fibers and is visible only at the muscle surface where muscle fibers run over their entire length at that surface. The results are of general use in the electrophysiology of neuromuscular transmission because they illustrate how in certain twitch muscles neuromuscular morphology may help to localize end-plates.

Notes: When a larva of Haplothrips verbasci is ready to feed, it grasps the surface of the leaf with its pretarsi, sinks down between its front legs, lifts its head, and places the tip of its mouthcone against the surface. It then shortens its mouthcone and punches a hole in the epidermis by rapidly and repeatedly protracting and retracting its left mandibular stylet. The thrips then inserts its two maxillary stylets as a unit into the wound with a series of rapid thrusts and withdrawals, salivating continuously while doing so. When a food source in the epidermis or mesophyll is found, probing and salivation stop and cibarial pumping begins. Cytoplasm is sucked into the opening at the tip of the protracted stylets, up the food canal between them and into the cibarium.Probing and feeding can occur without mandibular intervention but uptake of liquid seems to require use of the mutually coadapted maxillary stylets, even when these are fully retracted.Prior to molting, the larva protracts its maxillary stylets maximally and, in the pharate state, seems incapable of feeding or drinking.Structures used in feeding are fully described and are shown to resemble those of Hemiptera except for the presence of maxillary and labial palpi and the absence of the loral lobes, right mandible and of a salivary canal between the protracted maxillary stylets. Seven single and 18 paired muscles function in the feeding act, nine less than in adults of the same species.Differences in the feeding mechanism of terebrantian and tubuliferous thrips are discussed and evidence is presented to suggest that the simplified and more highly specialized mouthparts of the latter insects are adaptations for feeding in confining spaces.

Notes: In contemporary entomology the morphological characters of insects are not always treated according to their phylogenetic rank. Fossil evidence often gives clues for different interpretations. All primitive Paleozoic pterygote nymphs are now known to have had articulated, freely movable wings reinforced by tubular veins. This suggests that the wings of early Pterygota were engaged in flapping movements, that the immobilized, fixed, veinless wing pads of Recent nymphs have resulted from a later adaptation affecting only juveniles, and that the paranotal theory of wing origin is not valid. The wings of Paleozoic nymphs were curved backwards in Paleoptera and were flexed backwards at will in Neoptera, in both to reduce resistance during forward movement. Therefore, the fixed oblique-backwards position of wing pads in all modern nymphs is secondary and is not homologous in Paleoptera and Neoptera. Primitive Paleozoic nymphs had articulated and movable prothoracic wings which became in some modern insects transformed into prothoracic lobes and shields. The nine pairs of abdominal gillplates of Paleozoic mayfly nymphs have a venation pattern, position, and development comparable to that in thoracic wings, to which they are serially homologous. Vestigial equivalents of wings and legs were present in the abdomen of all primitive Paleoptera and primitive Neoptera. The ontogenetic development of Paleozoic nymphs was confluent, with many nymphal and subimaginal instars, and the metamorphic instar was missing. The metamorphic instar originated by the merging together of several instars of old nymphs; it occurred in most orders only after the Paleozoic, separately and in parallel in all modern major lineages (at least twice in Paleoptera, in Ephemeroptera and Odonata; separately in hemipteroid, blattoid, orthopteroid, and plecopteroid lineages of exopterygote Neoptera; and once only in Endopterygota). Endopterygota evolved from ametabolous, not from hemimetabolous, exopterygote Neoptera.The full primitive wing venation consists of six symmetrical pairs of veins; in each pair, the first branch is always convex and the second always concave; therefore costa, subcosta, radius, media, cubitus, and anal are all primitively composed of two separate branches. Each pair arises from a single veinal base formed from a sclerotized blood sinus. In the most primitive wings the circulatory system was as follows: the costa did not encircle the wing, the axillary cord was missing, and the blood pulsed in and out of each of the six primary, convex-concave vein pair systems through the six basal blood sinuses. This type of circulation is found as an archaic feature in modern mayflies. Wing corrugation first appeared in preflight wings, and hence is considered primitive for early (paleopterous) Pterygota. Somewhat leveled corrugation of the central wing veins is primitive for Neoptera. Leveled corrugation in some modern Ephemeroptera, as well as accentuated corrugation in higher Neoptera, are both derived characters. The wing tracheation of Recent Ephemeroptera is not fully homologous to that of other insects and represents a more primitive, segmental stage of tracheal system.Morphology of an ancient articular region in Palaeodictyoptera shows that the primitive pterygote wing hinge in its simplest form was straight and composed of two separate but adjoining morphological units: the tergal, formed by the tegula and axillaries; and the alar, formed by six sclerotized blood sinuses, the basivenales. The tergal sclerites were derived from the tergum as follows: the lateral part of the tergum became incised into five lobes; the prealare, suralare, median lobe, postmedian lobe and posterior notal wing process. From the tips of these lobes, five slanted tergal sclerites separated along the deep paranotal sulcus: the tegula, first axillary, second axillary, median sclerite, and third axillary. Primitively, all pteralia were arranged in two parallel series on both sides of the hinge. In Paleoptera, the series stayed more or less straight; in Neoptera, the series became V-shaped. Pteralia in Paleoptera and Neoptera have been homologized on the basis of the fossil record.A differential diagnosis between Paleoptera and Neoptera is given. Fossil evidence indicates that the major steps in evolution, which led to the origin first of Pterygota, then of Neoptera and Endopterygota, were triggered by the origin and the diversification of flight apparatus. It is believed here that all above mentioned major events in pterygote evolution occurred first in the immature stages.

Notes: Studies of the response of adult mammalian and amphibian ventricle to injury have indicated the formation of a connective tissue scar in the place of the wounded or amputated muscle. It has been demonstrated that amphibian myocytes adjacent to a wound surface, unlike mammalian myocytes, have a proliferative capacity. In the present study, a minced cardiac muscle graft was placed into the adult newt ventricle in order to increase the number of myocytes near a wound surface. With such an increased number of reactive myocytes, it was thought a new wall consisting primarily of muscle might be formed. One-sixteenth to one-eighth of the ventricular apex was removed, minced and returned to the amputation surface of the ventricle. General histological and autoradiographic studies were conducted on two sham-operated animals and on five experimental animals which were killed at 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 70 days after surgery. Major events of the repair and reorganization of minced cardiac muscle included blood clot formation followed by necrosis of the blood clot and much of the muscle graft. By ten days, an apparent coalescence of muscle fragments and continuity of ventricular and graft lumina were observed, although the graft area never formed an integrated unit with the wounded ventricular wall. The peak of mitotic activity (3.19%) and thymidine labeling (28.1%) of graft cells, including many cells which resembled cardiac myocytes, was observed at 20 days. At 30 days, the graft was observed as a continuous wall composed primarily of muscle fibers. Several 30-, 50- and 70-day grafts had rhythmic contractions. These results suggest that amphibian cardiac muscle has histogenetic and proliferative capacities not attributable to mammalian cardiac muscle.

Notes: An ultrastructural comparison of mouse oocytes isolated at various stages of growth and meiotic competence has been carried out. Progressive changes in the nucleoli, ribosomes, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, and other organelles and inclusions of the oocyte have been examined as a function of oocyte size by transmission electron microscopy. The observations presented support the idea that growth of the mammalian oocyte involves not just tremendous enlargement of the cell, but extensive alterations in its overall metabolism as reflected in the ultrastructure of the oocyte at various stages of growth.

Notes: The mammalian ovary has been studied by optical microscopy and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy with the purpose of presenting an integrated view of the differentiating mammalian follicle. During follicular development, changes in the granulosa cells are particularly noteworthy and include dramatic modifications in cell shape coincident with antrum formation. The cytoplasmic processes of those granulosa cells immediately surrounding the oocyte, as well as the more peripheral granulosa cells comprising a second and third layer, traverse the zona pellucida, infrequently interdigitate with the microvilli of the egg, and make both desmosomal and gap junction contacts with the oocyte. The zona pellucida is thus distinguished by numerous fenestrations of varying diameters. The membrana limitans (basal lamina) is a bipartite structure composed of (a) a homogeneous stratum upon which the peripheral layer of granulosa cells rests, and (b) an outer region of collagen-like fibers. The specific advantages and limitations of the different methodologies utilized to study folliculo-genesis are discussed.

Notes: The gross external morphology of the salivary glands of Gromphadorhina portentosa is described from light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopic observations. Various techniques, such as cryofracturing and epoxy-fracturing followed by plastic removal, were employed. Internally, the transportation system is characterized by a cuticle-lined lumen bordered by duct cells. The duct collects secretory products, some of which are reabsorbed by duct cells. Products are transported to intercalary ducts and eventually to the hypopharynx and/or salivary reservoirs. Transmission electron micrographs demonstrate distinctive morphological differences between duct cells bordering ductules and those which line expanded regions of the duct. Duct cells which surround ductules have a microvillous-lined apical border in which the cuticular coat of the lumen may be only partially developed. Duct cells in other regions may retain microvilli, or the apical plasma membrane may invaginate and vesiculate. In some cells the apical region has neither microvilli nor invaginations, but possesses two morphologically different forms of microtubules. Some duct cells are characterized by the presence of lamellar bodies in the nuclear region and/or collagenous material above the basal lamina in the area where the acinar duct becomes confluent with the intercalary duct. The plasma membranes between adjacent duct cells within acini become convoluted, forming loops filled with cytoplasm. These loops, along with contact and septate desmosomes formed between membranes, may serve dual functions: adherent mechanisms between cells and/or transportation of materials between cells.

Notes: Fertilization in Notophthalmus viridescens is internal and involves passage of the sperm through five layers of egg jelly (J5-J1, from outermost to innermost), each of which is secreted by a discrete region of the oviduct. Polyspermy is normal. Passage of the sperm through the jelly and into the egg was studied by a technique of artificial insemination similar to natural insemination, in that undiluted fluid from the vas deferens was applied directly to eggs with various layers of jelly present, followed by flooding with water three to five minutes later. In general, successful fertilization increased as the number of jelly layers increased; jellyless coelomic eggs were not fertilizable. Sperm passage through the jelly and into the egg usually occurs within one to three minutes. Upon hydration of the jelly, barriers to sperm penetration develop in layers J5 and J3. Changes in the egg jelly thus seem to be involved in the restriction of polyspermy to a low level.

Notes: In addition to the cholinergic innervation described in the sphincter of the efferent filament arteries (Bailly and Dunel-Erb, ′86), an aminergic component has been demonstrated by specific techniques. The Falck fluorescence technique reveals a network of nerve fibers displaying a green fluorescence characteristic of catecholamines. At the ultrastructural level two types of fibers are present, one with clear vesicles and another with densecored vesicles. Axo-axonal synaptic relationships exist between the two types. Results of 5- and 6-OHDA (hydroxydopamine) treatments confirm the presence of an aminergic component.These observations support the notion of a dual innervation: cholinergic and adrenergic of, respectively, parasympathetic and sympathetic origin. The presence of presynaptic modulation is suggested. The aminergic component could inhibit or reduce the release of acetylcholine from cholinergic nerve endings. These results suggest that the sympathetic innervation modulates the vasoconstriction effect of the parasympathetic component.

Notes: Among the acanthopterygian fishes, the Labridae possess the most highly integrated and specialized pharyngeal jaw apparatus. The integrated feature involves many osteological components and aspects of muscle form, architecture, composition, and function. The upper jaw articulates by means of a true diarthrosis with the pharyngeal process of the parasphenoid, whereas the lower jaw has established physical contact with the cleithrum. Complex muscle fusions have contributed significantly in the development of a double muscle sling operating the lower jaw. The original levator externus 4 fuses with the central head of the obliquus posterior, whereas the original levator posterior combines with the lateral head of the obliquus posterior as well as with the adductor branchialis 5.During the masticatory cycle, both upper and lower jaws undergo complex movement orbits resulting in shearing and crushing functions. Shearing occurs as the forward moving upper jaw collides with the dorsally held lower jaw. Crushing is effected by an extreme posterodorsal movement of the lower jaw against the retracted upper jaw, thereby establishing full occlusion of the teeth.The specialized morphological and functional design of the labrid pharyngeal jaw apparatus is similar to that found in cichlids. In sharp contrast to primitive acanthopterygian fishes, the Labridae and Cichlidae exhibit a spectacular morphological diversity that parallels their ecological diversification. Our combined functional and historical analysis has established a correlation between the complex integration of the pharyngeal jaw apparatus and morphological and ecological diversity in the Labridae and Cichlidae.

Notes: Previous studies have shown the existence of a sphincter in the efferent filament artery of the teleost gill and its constrictory response to acetylcholine (ACH) and vagal stimulation. This study deals with the muscular organization of this sphincter and the distribution of its innervation as elucidated by degeneration methods and cytochemistry. The sphincter innervation is supplied by the protrematic vagus nerves. Nerve endings filled with cholinergic-type vesicles are located in close association with the adventitial smooth muscle cells and display a strong acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) activity. Section of the protrematic vagus nerve induces a nearly complete degeneration of the sphincter innervation. ACHE-positive nerve cell bodies are present both in the sphincter area and in the protrematic vagus nerve. These results suggest that innervation of the sphincter in the efferent filament artery is cholinergic through the activity of postganglionic axons of the parasympathetic system.

Notes: Dramatic depression in granule volume density and size was measured in acinar cells of postnatal rat pancreas following the initiation of feeding. Volume density decreased about threefold from 45% at birth to 16% 2 days thereafter. Mean granule diameter decreased from 1.50 μm to 0.80 μm, an 85% decrease in corresponding granule volume. At the same time, numerical density approximately doubled. At 2 days after birth, cells with smaller granules had lower volume densities, and differences in mean granule volume between cells accounted for most of the differences in volume density. Although the distribution of granule diameter in newborns was lognormal, the distribution at 2 days was heavily skewed to larger sizes. This was the result of skewed distributions within individual cells and not an artifact of sampling. The results corroborate the central role of granule volume in determining changes in the volume density of zymogen granules in the pancreas and suggest that zymogen granules can act as capacitors that can change size as a function of the enzyme contained within.

Notes: A comparative study of four genera of arvicolid rodents (Clethrionomys, Eothenomys, Alticola, and Synaptomys) presents the first complete description of limb myology for any member of this recently evolved, highly successful family. The study also identifies four forelimb and four hind-limb muscles that exhibit characters of value to systematic analyses within the group. In no instance was postcranial myology sufficient to distinguish among species of Clethrionomys or to distinguish Clethrionomys from Eothenomys. Moreover, in some instances Synaptomys, a genus traditionally presumed primitive within the family, possessed the apomorphic condition for a myological character when compared to the four genera of cricetine rodents that served for outgroup comparisons.

Notes: Egg capsules of Syndisyrinx franciscanus, an intestinal parasite of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus spp.), consist of a bulb, which contains the embryos, and a stalk-like filament. The wall of the bulb is about 12 μm thick and is composed of sclerotized proteins. The end of the bulb opposite the attachment of the filament bears a reticulum of hatching sutures. Transmission electron microscopy discloses that hatching sutures traverse the entire thickness of the capsule wall. The inner 9-10 μm of sutures are a uniform 20 nm in width and contain a trilaminar cementum. The outer 2-3 μm of sutures are 15 nm to more than 500 nm in width and contain an electron-lucent cementum. The latter may contain an irregular, median, electron-dense layer or, more commonly, electron-dense granules. The outside of some capsules is partially covered by a thin, electron-dense material.A previous study showed that sutures in intact capsules of Syndisyrinx franciscanus are not affected by host digestive fluids, but are severely weakened immediately prior to hatching owing to activities of the embryos. The hypothesis that the embryos secrete a hatching enzyme is supported by findings that sutures of intact capsules are not affected by externally applied trypsin, but become weakened when capsules are cut open and then incubated in trypsin. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that the outer parts of sutures often remain intact after hatching. We hypothesize that the ability of sutures to resist enzymatic attack from the outside, but not the inside, results from differences in the chemical properties of the cementums in outer and inner parts of sutures.

Notes: The iris of the toad Bufo marinus is directly photosensitive and will constrict in response to light striking only the iris. This is true even when the iris is isolated from the rest of the eye, and therefore from reflex neuronal influences initiated in the retina. This autonomous response is probably mediated by the sphincter pupillae muscle, since no specialized photoreceptors are present in the iris, nor does the sphincter exhibit any specializations likely to subserve a purely photoreceptive function. The photosensitive sphincter appears typical of smooth muscle and, like mammalian sphincters, possesses many intercellular junctions. The iris possesses a well-developed neuronal plexus with fibers projecting into the sphincter muscle layer. Nerve terminals contain small, agranular (30-70nm) and large, dense-cored (80-120nm) vesicles. No consistent postsynaptic specializations are seen on any cells of the iris, including the cells of the sphincter muscle. The anterior pigment epithelial cells of the iris appear specialized and resemble the myoepithelial dilator muscle described by Kelly and Arnold ('72) for the iris of rats.

Notes: The cell-lineage of Bithynia tentaculata L. has been studied through the formation of the fourth quartet of micromeres, i.e., the 81-cell stage. Up to the 28-cell stage, the cleavage pattern is radially symmetrical, and the divisions take place synchronously in the quadrants. Bilateral symmetry is established by the formation of the mesentoblast 4d at the future dorsal side. A resting stage preceding the formation of 4d is lacking. The mesentoblast 4d is formed earlier than the other fourth quartet cells, and it divides twice before 4a-4c are formed. Bilateral symmetry in the molluscan cross becomes apparent by different divisions of the tipcell and the basal cell in the dorsal arm. Dorsoventrality is progressively corroborated by the divisions in the second and third quartets of micromeres, which take a different course in the A and B quadrants on the one side and in the C and D quadrants on the other side.

Notes: Two modes of shedding of rod disc membranes were observed by electron microscopy in bullfrog retinas illuminated for various periods from 10 min to 2 hr. One mode is “autonomous shedding” whereby rods shed disc packets directly into the subretinal space. Most of the discarded disc packets are subsequently brought into contact with villous apical processes of pigment epithelial (PE) cells and are ultimately engulfed by these cells. When some of the shed disc membranes remain in the subretinal space, it appears that these remanants may be phagocytized by ameboid phagocytes. The other mode is “cooperative shedding” whereby rods shed disc packets with the participation of pigment epithelial ensheathment. Shedding of a disc packet from a rod tip, and enclosing of the rod tip by a broad, sleeve-like apical process of a PE cell, take place simultaneously. The separated disc packets may be immediately engulfed by the PE cells without risk of failure. Both villous and sleeve-like types of apical processes of PE cells in the bullfrog lack pigment granules, in contrast to the finger-like apical processes that do contain pigment granules. Villous and sleeve-like apical processes that do contain pigment granules. Villous and sleeve-like processes therefore probably belong to the same category as the leaf-like apical processes of PE cells in mammalian retinas.

Notes: High-speed cinematography shows that Suncus murinus (Crocidurinae) masticates fast (mean 5.5, 5-10 masticatory cycles per sec). Their grasping behavior is not stereotyped. The unilateral mandibular movements combine vertical, anteroposterior, and lateral displacements; and any masticatory sequence may include crushing, repositioning, shearing, and grinding components. Size and consistency of food influence the duration of individual chewing cycles. As food is transferred to the new working side, the chewing direction reverses, either near maximum closure or near maximum opening. An unfused mandibular symphysis permits tilting movements of the two halves of the mandible. Food may be squeezed between the lower incisors. The working side tilts outward during closing; this may improve shearing or grinding action. The closing phase is posteriorly directed. Thus, the masticatory movements of these shrews differ from those that have been described in many other mammals.

Notes: The presence of adrenergic innervation was investigated in four different vascular segments of the neotenic tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum, by histofluorescent staining for catecholamines. The segments were the respiratory section of the gill, the branchial shunt vessels, a vascular plexus in the pulmonary artery, and the dorsal aorta. No adrenergic fibers were detected in the respiratory section of the gill or the pulmonary arterial plexus. In contrast, the branchial shunt vessels contained both adrenergic varicosities and catecholamine-containing cell bodies. These cells resemble Type I cells of the mammalian carotid body and amphibian carotid labyrinth. Adrenergic innervation of the dorsal aorta was sparse and restricted to the adventitia. The results suggest that adrenergic nerves may directly regulate blood flow in the gill, and thus gas exchange, by controlling vascular resistance of the branchial shunts. The contractile state of the dorsal aorta may also be under adrenergic control. In addition, it is suggested that the adrenergic cells of the branchial shunts may serve a receptor function in being sensitive to arterial blood gases.

Notes: Scanning and light microscopy investigations of the anterior alimentary canal of the pear psylla, Psylla pyricola Foerster (Homoptera: Psyllidae), revealed the morphology of the labium and stylets, as well as the presence of sensory structures and a valve in the precibarium. The labium consists of three telescoping segments with an internal labial groove, which surrounds and supports the stylet bundle. Also a part of the labial groove is the internal labial clamp. The stylet bundle is comprised of paired styliform mandibles and maxillae, which interlock to form the food and salivary canals. The stylet bundle proximal to the labium forms a large loop within a membranous crumena. When fully retracted the coiled stylets are under tension. Stylet extension generates increasing tension so that when retracted the stylets readily recoil within the crumena. Penetration of leaf tissues by the stylet bundle is dependent on the interaction between stylet muscles, opening and closing of the labial clamp, the barbed stylet tips, and the ventral position of the labium.Proximal to the crumena the paired stylets separate and diverge at the entrance of the precibarium, which is formed by the interlocking of the epi-and hypopharynges. There are 18 sensory structures in the precibarium, as well as a precibarial valve. These structures appear to be homologous to similar structures observed previously in aphids and leafhoppers. The morphology and the location of the precibarial sensilla suggest that, like the precibarial sensory organs of aphids and leafhoppers, they are gustatory and probably mediate acceptance or rejection of plant fluids, thus playing a major role in locating tissues for feeding.

Notes: In seven species of lungless salamanders, family Plethodontidae, ranging from medium to very small in body size and from small to very large in cell size, the morphology of the eye and the retina were investigated. Haller's rule was only partially corroborated. While the smallest species had the relatively largest eyes, the largest two species, having the largest cells, showed the third and fourth largest eyes of the series. An effect of cell size was also found with regard to eye morphology. Small species with small cells as well as large species with large cells had relatively small retinae and relatively large lenses. In contrast, small eyes with relatively large cells had absolutely and relatively large retinae and relatively small lenses.The retinae of all investigated plethodontids showed a morphology typical for land vertebrates with two fiber and three nuclear layers. Rods, cones and double cones could clearly be distinguished. A fovea or area centralis was not found. Retina ganglion cell and photoreceptor counts show that the number of these elements was lower than in salamandrids. However, determination of the resolution power of miniaturized eyes based on morphological and behavioral data shows that this does not seem to constitute a functional disadvantage. The morphological and functional properties and constraints of eyes of miniaturized salamanders are discussed.

Notes: Cells considered to be migratory in the cerebral cortex of adult lizards are ultrastructurally of two types. Nuclei in the first type have highly dispersed chromatin, creating a spongy appearance, whereas in the second type the chromatin is irregularly clumped. Both types of cells are closely associated with processes of radial ependymal glia cells, which perhaps orient their migratory pathways. Cells with spongy chromatin show an increase in cytoplasmic organelles and progressive chromatin condensation as they travel from the ependymal layer to the granular layer. Possibly these cells account for the neuronal increase that takes place in the granular layer during postnatal life. Cells with chromatin clumps are very scarce; ultrastructurally they resemble immature reptilian astroglia cells.