GERM DEVELOPMENT IN THE LANCELET. 



447 



appears, the two primary germ-layers of the Amphioxus 

 larva split up into the four secondary germ-layers (Fig. 157, 

 transverse section). Round the inner vegetative layer of 

 the intestinal tube there arises, in consequence of a fission 

 of the cells of the latter, a second external cell-stratum, the 



Fig. 15V. — Transverse section through 

 a larval Amphioxus (after Kowalevsky) : 

 hs, skin-sensory layer ; hm, skin-fibrdiis 

 layer; c, coelom-fissure (rudimentary 

 body-cavity) ; c//, intestinal-fibrous layer; 

 dd, intestinal glandular layer; a, primi- 

 tive intestine(primitive intestinal cavity). 

 Above, the dorsal furrow is seen between 

 the two dorsal swellings. 



intestinal-fibrous layer (df) ; from this originate the 

 muscles and the fibrous membranes of the intestinal tube, 

 and the blood-vessels. The original inner cell-stratum 

 must now be called the intestinal-glandular layer [dd). 

 Analogously, the outer animal germ-layer falls, in con- 

 sequence of a fission in its cells, into two strata, an outer 

 skin-sensory layer {hs) and an inner skin-fibrous la3^er (Jitii). 

 The former gives rise to the outer skin (epidermis) and the 

 medullary tube ; the latter to the leather-skin (coriu'm) 

 and the trunk-muscles. A space forms between the skin- 

 fibrous layer and the intestinal-fibrous layer, in which a 

 colourless liquid collects, thus forming the body-cavity 

 (coelomia, c). It is a fact of great moment for the germ- 

 layer theory that, here in the Amp-hioxus, the origin of the 

 skin-fibrous layer from the animal, and that of the intestinal- 

 fibrous layer from the vegetative germ-layer is plainly 

 demonstrable. 



As soon as the four secondary germ-layers have formed 



