IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. O 



HISTOHEMATINS AND MYOHEMATINS. 



MacMunn's investigations (Philosoph. Trans., 1886, i, 235, 267; Jour- 

 nal of Physiology, 1886, vn, 240, and 1888, ix, 1) have demonstrated a wide 

 distribution of the histohematins and allied bodies among both inverte- 

 brates and vertebrates, including porifera, echinoderms, molluscs, arthro- 

 pods, worms, amphibia, fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals. In his studies 

 of the chromatology of the British sponges he has shown the presence of 

 coloring matters which are closely related to hemoglobin, and which he 

 groups under the term histohematins. Out of 12 specimens examined by 

 him, 7 by Krukenberg, and 1 by Ray Lankester, making 20 in all, 18 con- 

 tained chlorophyl, nearly all contained lipochromes, and 7 contained histohe- 

 matins. In a previous communication on the chromatology of the Actini- 

 idce, MacMunn (Philosoph. Trans., 1885, n, 641) reports a coloring matter 

 in Actinia mesembryanthemum, Bunodes crassicornis, and other Actiniidce, 

 which can be changed into a hemochromogen and a hematoporphyrin, 

 which are indistinguishable from the corresponding bodies obtained from 

 hemoglobin. 



In the echinoderm Ophiactis viriens, Foettinger (Archiv d. Biologic, 

 1880, i, 405) states that he found hemoglobin, and although the correctness 

 of this statement was questioned by Krukenberg (loc. cit.) it was subse- 

 quently stated by MacMunn to be justified (Journal of Physiology, 1886, 

 vn, 240). MacMunn found hematoporphyrin in Uraster rubens. All of the 

 star-fish showed the presence of histohematins from which hematopor- 

 phyrin could be obtained. Hematoporphyrin he found in the integument 

 of slugs, Limax flavus, Limax variegatus, and Arion ater. In molluscs he 

 noted enterohematin in the bile and histohematins in various tissues and 

 organs. He also reports histohematins in Littorina littorea, Purpura lapillus, 

 Trochus cinerarius, Patella vulgata, Limnceus stagnates, Paludina vivipara, 

 Mytilus edulis, Ostrcea edulis, Unio, Anodonta, Limax, Arion, Helix aspersa, 

 and Helix pomatia. 



In arthropods MacMunn (Philosoph. Trans., 1886, i, 235, 267) deter- 

 mined that the histohematins are the same as those of the echinoderms 

 and molluscs, and he records finding myohematins in Hydrophilis piceus, 

 Dytiscus marginalis, Lucanus cervus, Periplanate orientalis, Bombus terratus, 

 Apis mellifica, Cerarnbyx moschatus, Creophilis maxillosus, Carabus violaceus, 

 Coccinella bipunctata, Staphylinus olens, Geotropes stercorarius, Gryllus 

 domesticus, Tipula oleracea, Musca domestica, Musca vomitoria, Musca 

 Mora, Vespa vulgaris, Acrida viridissima, Pieris rapce, Epeira diadema, 

 Tegenaria civilis, and others. In dipterous, hymenopterous, and lepi- 

 dopterous insects he made the interesting observation that those which 

 use their wing muscles actively have the greatest amount of myohematin 

 in these structures. The presence of histohematins was found to be well 

 marked in the Crustacea, of which he examined Homarus vulgaris, Cancer 

 pagurus, Carcinus moenas, Astacus ftuviatilis, and Pagurus bernhardus. 

 Among Vermes, in Lumbricus and Hirudo all organs which in other species 

 show histohematin spectra appear to contain a small amount of hemoglobin, 

 which he believes functionates in a similar manner to the histohematins. 



