By this time the embryo has assumed an oval form, and the blastopore is situated at the pole of the long axis of the oval where the cephalic enlargement is eventually formed.
The subsequent development consists mainly in the closure of the blastopore, and an increase in the number of the epiblast cells. Before the development is completed, and while the embryo is still in the body of the parent, two germs, destined themselves to give rise to fresh embryos, appear in the hypoblast cell, one on each side of the nucleus ([fig. 61] B). The embryo continues to elongate, while the anterior cells become converted into the polar cells. Cilia appear simultaneously over the general surface, and the embryo makes its way out of the body of the parent, usually at the cephalic pole, and becomes itself parasitic in the renal organ of the host in which it finds itself. At the time of birth the embryo may contain a number of germs and sometimes even developing embryos.
Infusoriform Embryos. The infusoriform embryos are capable of living in sea-water and almost certainly lead a free existence. In their most fully developed condition so far known they have the following rather complicated structure ([fig. 62] D, E, F, G).
The body is somewhat pyriform, with a blunt extremity which is directed forwards in swimming, and a more pointed extremity directed backwards. The former may be spoken of as the anterior, and the latter as the posterior extremity or tail. At the anterior extremity are situated a pair of refractive bodies (r) which lie above an unpaired organ which may be called the urn.
The structure of the urn, the refractive bodies, and the tail may be dealt with in succession.
The urn consists of three parts: (1) a wall (u), (2) a lid (l), and (3) contents (gr). The wall of the urn is hemispherical in form, and composed of two halves in apposition (fig. F). Its concavity is directed forwards, and in its edge are imbedded a number of rod-like corpuscles which appear as a ring near the surface in a full-face view (fig. D). The lid has the form of a low pyramid with its apex directed outwards. It is made up of four segments (fig. D). The contents of the urn, which completely fill up its cavity, are four polynuclear cells arranged in the form of a cross which appear with low powers as granular bodies (fig. F). They are frequently ejected, apparently at the will of the embryo.
The refractive bodies (r), two in number, one on each side of the middle line, are composed of a material which is not of a fatty nature, and which is passive to the majority of reagents. Each is enveloped in a special capsule, and at times more than one refractive body is present in each capsule. The tail is a conical structure formed of ciliated granular cells.
No plausible guess has been made as to the function either of the urn or of the refractive bodies.
The infusoriform embryos originate from germs, which have however a different origin to the germs of the vermiform embryos. One to five cells appear in the axial hypoblast cell, in a way not clearly made out, and each of them gives rise by an endogenous process to several generations of cells, all of which develop into infusoriform embryos.