An Account of the Two Methods of Reproduction in Daphnia, and of the Structure of the

Ephippium. [Abstract]
Author(s): John Lubbock
Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Vol. 8 (1856 - 1857), pp. 352-354
Published by: The Royal Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/111363 .
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352
IL. "An Account of the two Methods of Reproduction in.
Daphnia, and of thc Structureof the ' Ephippium."' By
JOHN LUBBOCK , Esq., F.G.S.
Commnunicatcd
by CHARLES
Received December 22, 1856.
DARWIN,Esq., F.R.S.
(Abstract.)
In thispapertheauthordescribesthemale organsand thestructure
of the Ephippiumin the genusDaphnia, and the doublemethodof
reproduction
by agamic anidephippialeggs. The author calls the
non-ephippialeggs agamic,but it is possible,thoughnot probable,
that the ephippialeggs inay be agamicalso. In the male Daphnia
there are two small papillinabove the posteriorclaws,but on the
ventralside of the anus,and on thesebeingcompressed,
two streamns
of minuterod-likebodies,withmovementsso gentleas to be scarcely
visible,willbe seento issue, one fromeach papilla. Nothingsimilar
has ever been observedin the female; nor has any other sort of
spermatozoaever been met with. These male organs have never
been describedbefore.
The authorthelnproceedsto describeand figurethe two sortsof
eggs in theirearlierstages,whichhave not yet been mentionedby
fromthe agamic in their
any naturalist. The ephippialeggs differ
and
number.
As
a
determinate
position
generalrule,thatis to say,
the authorhas remarkedthat
in seventeencases out of twenty-three,
ephippialeggs commenceand are developedto a certaini
point.
is as follows. One of the ovariancells,always
The development
at the posteriorpartof the ovary,swellsa little,and becomesa germinalvesicle; roundit are depositeda numberofbrownishgranules,
while the othercells which may at firsthave existedin the same
ovarianmass cease to be visible. The depositionof dark granules,
afterproceedingto a certainpoint,
in thirty-seven
cases out of forty,
and
the
ceased,
embryoegg graduallydisappeared. In the other
threecases it increased,and at lengthformeda dark mass on each
side of the intestinalcanial. The authorin two cases observedthe
ephippialeggs pass fromthe ovaryinto the receptacle.
The ephippiumhas been describedby Strauss with considerable
accuracy,but he has been moreor less misunderstood
by all subsequentwriterson the subject,and no one has explainedthe homologies or connexionsof the inner valve. The ephippiumitselfis

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353
a locally altered portionof the carapace; the outer valve of the
ephippiumbeing a part of the outer layer of the epidermis,and
the innervalve the corresponding
part of the innerlayer. In consequenceof this arrangement,the inner valve of the ephippium,
containingthe ephippialeggs, is not attached by the hinge to the
ontervalve,as has been generallystated,but actuallylies at firstin
the receptacleformedby the new carapace. The ephippiumis
cast withthe restof the skin,fromwhich howeverit soon becomes
detached,and continuesto forman efficient
protectionto the eggs
until they are hatched. These eggs probably require to be fertilized, but this fact is not completelyproved. With one exwheneverthe author observedephippia,he could also find
ceptioni,
males; and, generallyspeaking,tlle numbersof each were in proportionto one another. Impregniation
is not,however,absolutely
necessaryto the productionof ephippia,as the authorhas now in
his possessionthreeephippia,formedby isolated females. It remainsto be seen whetheryoungwillbe developedfromtheseor not.
The earlystagesof the agamicegg are verysimilarto thoseofthe
in thefrontpart of the
ephippialegg, and consistof theenlargement,
ovary,of one of the ovariancells, which then becomes a germinal
vesicle,and the depositionroundit of granules,withthe additionin
this case of oil-globules. This process continues,the othertwo or
threecells whichmay have existedin the same ovarianmass gradually disappear,and thereis thus formedan egg-likemass, consisting
of a germinalvesicle, minute dark granules, and large oil-globules. When the growthis nearlycompleted,the vitellinemembraneis added. This is at firstverydelicate,but afterdepositionin
the receptaclesoon becomeshard. The ovarianeggs of Daphnia, as
well as those of Cypris,nevercontainround masses like those of
Aphis and Musca; but aftertheir entryinto the receptacle,yolk
massesarefound,homologouswiththosepresentat thecorresponding
periodsin Phryganea*. The eggs whenlaid are about 2 20 of an
inch in diameter; theygraduallybecome 2 6 when the vitelline
membranesplitsand fallsoff,and thevounganimalis hatched. Far,
its parentat this time,the youngDaphnia
however,fromresembling
* The roundballs describedby I9eroldin the ovarianeggsofBornbyx,
appear
withtheNahrungsdotter
mentioned
nature,and homologous
to be of a different
by Carusin spiders'eggsand theoil-globu]es
ofDaphnia.

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354
is a sphericalbag, insidewhich the formationand developmentof
of under*. Instead therefore
the new organsis rapidlyprogressing
the youngDaplhniaonlyassumesthe wellgoingno metamorphosis,
knowncharactersof the genusafterthe firstchangesof skin. The
author proceeds to comparethis phenomenonwith a similar one
observedby Mr. Spence Bate in Gammarus,by Prof. Hluxleyin
Mysis, by Dr. Cohn in Sphteroplea,in manyAnnelids,and in the
mnutabile.The youngDaphnia atentozoonMonostomnum
interesting
tainsa lengthof*025inchbeforeit leavesthereceptacleofthemother,
but the length of time duringwhich it remainsthereinvaries accordingto the temperature. The authorhas nevermetwithan exis
ceptionto the rule noticedby precedingwriters,thatunisexuality
of an agamic brood.
characteristic
Daphblise
It followsfromthese observations,that the self-fertile
are certainlytrue females,and that the reproductivebodies more
nearlyresembleeggs thangemmsein their originand developmeint.
to
to give a separatenanme
Hereafter,however,it may be conveniient
but for
those egg-likebodies,whichare fertilewithoutimpregnation,
the presenttheymustbe called eggs.
The authorthengives a list of the instancesof Parthenogenesis
which, so far as he knows, are recordedamong the Articulata.
ofthese
Finally,he expressesthe beliefthatthe carefulconsideration
cases,and of the factsnowrecordedas toDaphlzia,and the stillmore
observations
recentlydetailedby Siebold in regardto Apis
wonderful
doubts
mustsurelyremoveall lingering
(if theselatterareconfirmed),
as to the identitybetweeneggs and buds; and remarks,thatifProf.
of "individual" and "zooid" is to be adopted,
Huxley's definition
it will be impossibleto assertof any Daphnia or Moth, whetherit is
the one or the other,and the hive-beewill have to be consideredas
a specieswithoutmale individuals.
an hermaphrodite,
the author suggeststhatit would be
Underthesecircumstances,
to call the individualof
as
to
convenient
more
continue, heretofore,
eventhoughin thiscase the
any speciesthatwhichis individualized,
individualsof one specieswill not alwaysbe homologouswiththose
of another.
* It is worthy
betweenthe
thedivisions
ofnotice,thatthebackfoldindicating
the mandiblesand the firstpair of
head and bodyis oppositetheline betweeni
to belongto the body,as Zaddachalso
whichlatterappeartherefore
inaxillae,
asserts,and notto thehead.

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