:
:
:
TRANSACTIONS
OF THE
HERTFOrvDSHIRE
NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY
AND
FIELD CLUB.
EDITED BY JOHN HOPKINSON,
F.L.S., F.G.S.^.'
\
VOLUME
II.
October, 1881, to Octobfr, 1883.
LONDON
DAVID BOGUE,
3,
ST.
WATFORD
PUBLIC utHARY, QUEEN'S ROAD.
MARTIN'S PLACE, W.C.
I
|
1884.
HERTFORD
STEPHExN AUSTIN
AND
SONS.
'
XII.
ON CHLOROBESMOS EISPIDA, A NEW FLAGELLATE
ANIMALCULE.
By
Read
F.
W.
Phillips, F.L.S.
at Hertford, 2ith November, 1881.
PLATE
The
I.
am about to introduce to your notice
from all other known forms that it is necessary
to institute a new genus for its reception.
It was found three weeks ago in water taken from Mangrove
Lane, Hertford, by Mr. Kobiuson, who drew my attention to an
animalcule having a strange motion. Being familiar with most of
the flagellate types of the Infusoria, I perceived that, although
possessing certain characteristics resembling those of Synura JJcella,
it differed from anything I had ever seen or read about.
We met with three examples entangled in vegetable debris
which interfered somewhat with the view. I investigated them
carefully, making a drawing of them, as far as I could make
them out, and sent it to Mr. Saville Kent, the authority on the
Infusoria.
He replied " It is a new and highly interesting form,
diffeiing substantially in the chain-like
TJcella, but
allied to
grouping of the constituent zooids, and referable to my newlyproposed family group, Chrysomonadince, in which all the various
animalcule which I
differs so strikingly
:
types are characterised by the possession of two distinct lateral
pigment- bands
Before I describe the animalcule, it would perhaps be well to
give an outline-sketch of the section and family to which it
belongs.
The present system of classification is based on the manner in
which food-particles are incepted, or taken in.
The first order of the Infusoria is called Pantostomata, and includes all those animalcules which incept food indiffei'ently at any
The second order is
part of the body, like the typical Amocha.
here the animalcules incept food within a
called Discostomata
circumscribed s])ace, within a collar-like expansion this manner
of inception is confined to one section, Choano-flagellata, or the
collared monads.
In the third order, Eustomata, there is a distinct oral aperture, or mouth, as in Englena ; and in the fourth
order, Polystomata, there are many such apertures, Aeineta being
. '
:
;
an example of
this.
The order Eustomata,
to which our animalcule belongs, is
The first, called Flagellata-eustosubdivided into three sections.
mata, includes those species which possess one or more flagellate,
or whip-like appendages, serving as the sole organs of locomotion.
In the second section, Cilio-flagellata, we find the flagella supplemented by rows of cilia; and in the third section the flagellum
T/-Mte
HrrtaJ^klFi^t.Sx.^lE/'Cr
'\l)
A-
FMPhUL^n del
U V E L LA
SYN U RA
AND
rwi nDnm?QK/rnQ utq-dtha
)\
—
Av.
F.
disappears,
customata
fifth,
rniT.Lirs— a
nkw
only being present.
divided into nine families
cilia
is
called
Chrysomonadina^
93
fl.vgellatic animalcule.
(xi'>"^'"'j
;
The section Flagellatawe have to deal with the
S^^^^^
!
fioi'o^,
Of
sinf^le).
this family I will give you the diagnosis contained in Mr. Savillo
Kent's Manual.
" Animalcules hi- flagellate, rarely mono-flagellate, social or
solitary, free swimming or adherent, naked, loricate or immersed
within a common matrix or zoocytium endoplasm always containing two lateral differentiated pigment-bands, occasionally green but
more usually olive-brown or yellow one or more supplementary
eye-like pigment-spots frequently present."
The animalcules included in this family group were for a long
time held to be approximate to Vohox, Protococciis, and other
unmistakable protophytes, and it is only recently that their
undoubted animal organization has been substantiated.
The family Chrysomonadiune is divided into fifteen genera
Chhromonas, C/iri/.soi/tonas, Microglena, Crijptomonas, Nephromlmis,
;
;
:
Sfylofhrysalis,
Uvella,
Chloranginuni, Ht/menoinojian,
Ghrysopijxsis,
and Urofilena.
which constitutes the genus
Si/nura, most nearly resembles our new animalcule.
In the genus
Si/nura the animalcules are united in spheroidal clusters which
swim freely through the water. Each zooid inhabits a closelyfitting lorica of a pear-shaped contour, which is beset with short
spinous processes.
There are two flagella of equal length. The
endoplasm contains two lateral pigment-bands in which ai'e developed two minute, coloured, pigment eye-like spots. A large
vascular space exists at the anterior extremity, which is supposed
There are three contractile vesicles
to fulfil a pharyngeal office.
situated at the anterior extremity.
The spherical clusters consist
Epipi/xsis, Dinohrijon, Si/nura, Suncri/pta,
The
of as
single species, Si/nura
many
Uvella,
as eighty zooids.
The animalcules which
are
now
for the first time recorded, exist
in colonies of about thirty zooids, grouped together in a chain-like
manner, and possibly united by a contractile, hyaline ligament
The constituent zooids each inhabit a closelyof extreme delicacy.
somewhat triangular aspect, pointed anteriorly,
and twice the width posteriorly at the point of attachment. The
lorica is covered with very minute spinous processes of even
fitting lorica of a
length.
At the anterior extremity there is a slight indentation, in
the centre of which is the oral aperture, which is continued into
Seen
a short, distinct, triangular, pharyngeal cleft or cavity.
from a side view, the lorica has an oval aspect. The flagella are two
in number and of equal length, issuing from the pharyngeal cleft.
The endoplasm contains the two characteristic lateral pigmentbands there are no eye-spots one contractile vesicle is developed
;
;
posteriorly.
The most remarkable
characteristic in connection with these
the peculiar movements, which are of a twofold nature.
The first consists of an elongation and corresponding retraction of
the whole chain of zooids to about five times the retracted length.
colonies
is
—
gl
F.
T7.
PHILLIPS
—A
NEW
During these movements one end
;
FLAGELLATE ANmALCTJLE.
of the chain is
anchored to some
substance, the other floating freely with a worm-like motion
these movements take place at the rate of about three per minute.
The second movement is a chipper-like motion, each zooid closing
this
upon the other, like the two shells of a bivalve mollusk
;
motion is much quicker than the former and is irregular, while
the former is rhythmical.
Owing to the awkward position of those groups I saw, I have
never been able to make out clearly the nature of the supposed
elastic integument which unites the zooids, but from a careful
examination of the movements, I have but little doubt as to its
existence.
The genus and
species
may
be thus briefly described
:
ceajno^, chain).
(xXw/>o?, green
Animalcules free-swimming and adherent, united in chain-like,
social clusters, each zooid contained in a separate membranous
endoplasm
flagella two in number, subequal
sheath or lorica
containing two lateral pigment-bands.
Loricae triangular, widest posteriorly, their external
C. hispida.
contained
surfaces beset with evenly-developed spinous processes
Genus Chlorodesmos
;
;
;
;
the cavities of the loricse
flagella
produced from within a pharyngeal cavity or cleft, at anterior
extremity one contractile vesicle. Chain-like colonies consisting
animalcules
entirely
filling
;
;
of as many as thirty zooids.
Habitat. Pond water.
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE
I.
Symira Uvella (after Stein). 1. Small colony, showing manner of
2. Adult spheroidal colony-stock.
3. Colony attached and extended.
4. Colony
Figs. 3-4. Clilorodcsmos hhpula.
free-swimming and contracted.
Figs. 1-2.
attachment.