THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF E. SUPERBA 



343 



arranged in a narrow horseshoe (cf. testis) and forming a saddle-shaped mass. There is 

 generally one terminal follicle and five or six lateral follicles in the thorax, and two or 

 four follicles in the abdomen (Fig. 2^a). 



Raab (191 5) noted the lobed appearance of the ovary, and his histological work 

 confirmed that of Chun (1896) on Stylocheiron as to the position of the germinal layer, 

 which is situated on the ventral surface of the ovary. It consists of shallow cubical 

 epithelium and shows great nuclear activity. 



> ° 



>t 



>Q 



Fig. 24a. Dorsal view of immature ovary, x 10. «, abdominal region; od, origin of oviduct; 

 t, thoracic region. 



Fig. 246. Dorsal view of mature (not gravid) ovary. 



The oviducts can clearly be seen in young specimens, as straight tubes passing ven- 

 trally from the outside of the ovary, below the posterior end of the heart into the 

 coxopodites of the sixth pair of legs (Fig. 23), to open between the coxopodites and the 

 sternite of the sixth thoracic segment by two large pores. 



The ovary is covered with thin connective tissue, by means of which it is suspended 

 in the thorax. As the eggs develop, the connective covering grows too, and finally in 

 mature females the eggs and their covering extend from the heart to the ventral body 

 wall, forward over the liver, and backwards into the abdomen, causing considerable 



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