CAPITULUM.

I will now proceed to a general description of the different parts and organs in the Lepadidæ. The Capitulum is usually much flattened, but sometimes broadly oval in section. It is generally formed of five or more valves, connected together by very narrow or broad strips of membrane; sometimes the valves are rudimental or absent, when the whole consists of membrane. When the valves are numerous, and they occasionally exceed a hundred in number, they are arranged in whorls, with each valve generally so placed as to cover the interval between the two valves above. Of all the valves, the scuta are the most persistent; then come the terga, and then the carina; the rostrum and latera occur only in Scalpellum and Pollicipes, and in a rudimentary condition in Lithotrya, and, perhaps, in the fossil genus Loricula. The valves are formed sometimes of chitine (as in Ibla and Alepas), but usually of shell, which varies from transparency to entire opacity. The shell is generally white, occasionally reddish or purple; exteriorly, the valves are covered by more or less persistent, generally yellow, strong membrane. The scuta and terga are always considerably larger than the other valves: in the different genera the valves differ so much in shape that little can be predicated of them in common; even the direction of their lines of growth differs,—thus, in Lepas and some allied genera, the chief growth of the scuta and of the carina is upwards, whereas in Pollicipes and Lithotrya, it is entirely downwards; in Oxynaspis, and some species of Scalpellum, it is both upwards and downwards. Even in the same species, there is often very considerable variation in the exact shape of the valves, more especially of the terga. The adductor muscle is always attached to a point not far from the middle of the scuta, and it generally has a pit for its attachment. In several genera, namely, Pæcilasma, Dichelaspis, Conchoderma, and Alepas, the scuta show a tendency to be bilobed or trilobed. The valves are placed either at some distance from each other, or close together; but their growing margins very rarely overlap each other, though this is sometimes the case with their upper, free, tile-like apices; in a few species the scuta and terga are articulated together, or united by a fold. The membrane connecting the valves, where they do not touch each other, is like that forming the peduncle, and is sometimes brilliantly coloured crimson-red; generally, it appears blueish-gray, from the corium being seen through. Small pointed spines, connected with the underlying corium by tubuli, are not unfrequently articulated on this membrane: the tubuli, however, are often present where there are no spines. To allow of the growth of the capitulum, the membrane between the valves splits at each period of exuviation, when a new strip of membrane is formed beneath, connected on each side with a fresh layer of shell,—the old and outer slips of membrane disintegrating and disappearing: when there are many valves, the line of splitting is singularly complicated. This membrane consists of chitine,[13] and is composed of numerous fine laminæ. After the valves have been placed in acid, a residue, very different in bulk in different genera, is left, also composed of successive laminæ of chitine. It appears to me that each single lamina of calcified chitine, composing the shell, must once have been continuous with a non-calcified lamina in the membrane connecting the several valves: at the line where this change in calcification supervenes, the chitine generally assumes some colour, and becomes much harder and more persistent; and as the whole valve is formed of component laminæ thus edged (the once continuous laminæ of non-calcified chitine connecting the valves, having disintegrated and disappeared) the surfaces of the valves are generally left covered by a persistent membrane, constituted of these edgings: this membrane has been called the epidermis. In some genera, as in Lepas, this so-called epidermis is seldom preserved, excepting on the last zone of growth: in Scalpellum and Pollicipes it usually covers the whole valves. It appears to me that the laminæ of chitine, and of calcified chitine composing the valves, are both formed not by secretion, but by the metamorphosis of an outer layer of corium into these substances.

[13] Chitine is confined to the Articulata. It was Dr. C. Schmidt (Contributions, &c., being a Physiologico-Chemical investigation: in Taylor’s ‘Scientific Memoirs,’ vol. v), who discovered that the membrane connecting the valves and forming the peduncle, and the tissues of the internal animal, were composed of this substance. But Dr. Schmidt says that the valves in Lepas are composed of 3.09 of albuminates, and 96.81 of incombustible residue; I cannot but think that the existence of the albuminates is an error caused by Dr. Schmidt’s belief that the Cirripedia were intermediate between Crustacea and Mollusca, in the shells of which latter, the animal basis consists of albuminates. For after placing the valves of Lepas and Pollicipes in cold acid, I found that the membrane left could not be dissolved in boiling caustic potash, but could, though slowly, (and without change of colour,) in boiling muriatic acid; and these are the main diagnostic characters of Chitine, compared with albuminous substances. I may add, that Schmidt was also induced to consider the shells of Cirripedia as having the same nature with those of Mollusca, from finding that in the above 96.81 of incombustible matter, 99.3 consisted of carbonate and only 0.7 of phosphate of lime; but Dr. Schmidt’s own analyses prove how extremely variable the proportions of these salts are in the Crustacea, as the following instance shows:—

Lobster.Squilla.
Phosphate of Lime12.0647.52
Carbonate of Lime87.9452.48

And, therefore, it is not very surprising that Cirripedia should have still less phosphate of lime in their shells, than has a lobster compared with a squilla.

Within the capitulum is the sack, which, together with the upper internal part of the peduncle, encloses the animal’s body. The sack is lined by a most delicate membrane of chitine, under which there is a double layer of corium; this double layer is united together by short, strong, transverse bundles of fibres, branched at both ends:[14] in some genera, the ovarian tubes extend between these two layers. We have seen, under the head of the Metamorphoses, that the delicate tunic lining the sack is simply a duplicature of the thick membrane and valves forming the capitulum, the whole being the posterior portion of the carapace of the larva slightly modified.

[14] I am much indebted to Mr. Inman of Liverpool for having kindly sent me excellent specimens illustrating this structure.

Peduncle.—Its length varies greatly in different species, and even in the same species, according to the situation occupied by the individual; its lower end is sometimes pointed, but generally only a little narrower than the upper end. In outline, the peduncle is usually flattened, but sometimes quite cylindrical. It is composed of very strong, generally thick, transparent membrane, rarely coloured reddish, and often penetrated by numerous tubuli. The underlying corium is sometimes coloured in longitudinal bands. At each period of growth a new and larger integument is formed under the old one, which gradually disintegrates and disappears; the extreme lower point is often deserted by the corium, and ceases to grow, whilst the whole upper part still continues increasing in diameter: in length the chief addition is made (as is clearly seen in those genera having calcified scales), round the upper margin, at the base of the capitulum. The surface of the membrane is either naked or superficially clothed with minute, pointed, articulated spines, or it is penetrated by calcified scales or styles, (in Ibla alone formed of chitine,) which pass through it to the corium, and are added to at their bases, like the valves, at each period of growth. In Lithotrya alone the scales of the peduncle are moulted together with the connecting membrane. These scales on the peduncle are generally placed symmetrically in whorls, with each scale corresponding with the junctions of two scales, both above and below. Except in Scalpellum ornatum and the fossil Loricula pulchella, they are very small compared with the valves of the capitulum. When the scales are symmetrical, new ones are first formed only round the summit of the peduncle, and only those in the few uppermost whorls continue to grow or to be added to at their bases; afterwards membrane is deposited under them. The shelly matter of the scales resembles that of the valves, and the manner of growth is the same; tubuli generally run to and through them from the corium. From the continued enlargement of the membrane of the peduncle, the scales come to stand, in the lower portion, some way apart. In Ibla, new horny styles are formed indifferently in all parts of the peduncle. In some species of Pollicipes, the calcareous styles are not symmetrical or symmetrically arranged; and besides those first formed round the top of the peduncle, there are other and larger ones formed near its base. Lastly, in Lithotrya we have a row of calcareous discs or an irregular, basal cup, formed in the same manner as the valves of the capitulum: in this genus alone (as already stated,) the calcified scales are moulted, and here alone their edges are serrated.

The peduncle is lined within by three layers of muscles, longitudinal, transverse, and oblique, all destitute of the transverse striæ, characteristic of voluntary muscles; they run from the bottom of the peduncle to the base of the capitulum, as in Lepas, or half way up it, as in Conchoderma; in Alepas alone they surround the whole capitulum up to its summit. In Lithotrya there are two little, fan-like, transverse muscles (involuntary), extending from the basal points of the terga to a central line on the under side of the carina. The gentle swaying to and fro movements, and the great power of longitudinal contraction,—movements apparently common, as I infer from facts communicated to me by Mr. Peach, to all the Pedunculata,—are produced by these muscles. The interior of the peduncle is filled up with a great mass of branching ovarian tubes; but in Ibla and Lithotrya, the upper part of the peduncle is occupied by the animal’s body.

Means of Attachment.—If the peduncle be very carefully removed ([Tab. IX], [fig. 7] and [Tab. I], [fig. 6 b]), from the surface of attachment, quite close to the end, but not at the actual apex, the larval prehensile antennæ can always be found: these have been sufficiently described for our present purpose under the head of the Metamorphoses; but I may add, that the diagnostic differences between them in the several genera are briefly given, for a special purpose, in a discussion on the sexes of Scalpellum at the end of that genus. We have seen in the larva, that the cement-ducts, with their opaque cellular contents, can be traced from within the discs of the antennæ to the anterior or lower ends of the two gut-formed bodies, which it can be demonstrated are the incipient ovaria.