The diameter of a notochord in the anterior part of the body of a Pristiurus embryo of this stage is about 0.21 Mm. Round the exterior of the notochord the mesoblast cells are commencing to arrange themselves as a special sheath.
In Torpedo the notochord at first presents the same structure as in Pristiurus, i.e. it forms a cylindrical rod of flattened cells.
The vacuolation of these cells does not however commence till a relatively very much later period than in Pristiurus, and also presents a very different character (Pl. 11, fig. 7).
The vacuoles are smaller, more numerous, and more rounded than in the other genera, and there can be no question that in many cases there is more than one vacuole in a cell. The most striking point in which the notochord of Torpedo differs from that of Pristiurus consists in the fact that in Torpedo there is never any aggregation of the nuclei at the centre of the cord, but the nuclei are always distributed uniformly through it. As the vacuolation proceeds the differences between Torpedo and the other genera become less and less marked. The vacuoles become angular in form, and the cells of the cord cease to be flattened, and become polygonal.
At my final stage for Torpedo (slightly younger than K) the only important feature distinguishing the notochord from that of Pristiurus, is the absence of any signs of nuclei or protoplasm passing to the periphery. Around the exterior of the cord there is early found in Torpedo a special investment of mesoblastic cells.
EXPLANATION OF PLATES 11 AND 12.
Complete List of Reference Letters.
al. Alimentary tract. an. Point where anus will be formed. ao. Dorsal aorta. ar. Rudiment of anterior root of spinal nerve. b. Anterior fin. c. Connective-tissue cells. cav. Cardinal vein. ch. Notochord. df. Dorsal fin. ep. Epiblast. ge. Germinal epithelium. ht. Heart. l. Liver. mp. Muscle-plate. mp´. Early formed band of muscles from the splanchnic layer of the muscle-plates. nc. Neural canal. p. Protoplasm from yolk in the alimentary tract. pc. Pericardial cavity. po. Primitive ovum. pp. body-cavity. pr. Rudiment of posterior root of spinal nerve. sd. Segmental duct. sh. Cuticular sheath of notochord. so. Somatic layer of mesoblast. sp. Splanchnic layer of mesoblast. spc. Spinal cord. sp.v. Spiral valve. sr. Interrenal body. st. Segmental tube. sv. Sinus venosus. ua. Umbilical artery. um. Umbilical cord. uv. Umbilical vein. V. Splanchnic vein. v. Blood-vessel. vc. Visceral cleft. vr. Vertebral rudiment. W. White matter of spinal cord. x. Subnotochordal rod (except in fig. 14a). y. Passage connecting the neural and alimentary canals.
Plate 11.
Fig. 1. Section from the caudal region of a Pristiurus embryo belonging to stage H. Zeiss C, ocul. 1. Osmic acid specimen.