488 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Annulata. 



Bacilliparous Follicles of Chsetopterus variopedatus.* — E. Trojan 



finds that the struct ares which Claparede called " bacilliparous follicles " 

 and compared to the rhabdites of Turbellarians and the cnidoblasts of 

 Coelentera, are spinning-glands. They contain the material for the 

 threads out of which the tube is spun. The tube consists of numerous 

 very fine lamellae, each of which is formed of intersecting threads. 



Structure of Enchytrseus pellucidus. — H. H. Stirrup gives a 

 useful account of the minute structure of this " white worm," which is 

 common in leaf mould and often does harm to the roots of plants. He 

 calls particular attention to the following points. There are peculiar 

 black spots like oil-globules scattered on the posterior part of the brain. 

 The so-called " septal glands " are more complex than has been supposed. 

 There seems to be a thin-walled ovisac which communicates with the 

 exterior by two pores in segment xiii. It seems likely that the function 

 of the ventral clitellar glands is to secrete a substance which will enable 

 two copulating Enchytrseids to adhere very closely together. The 

 observations of Goodrich in regard to the nephridia and the ccelomic 

 corpuscles have been confirmed. 



Nematohelminthes. 



Nematode parasitic in Sagitta.J — Qmberto Pierantoni reports the 

 occurrence of minute parasites, apparently larvae of Ascaris, in specimens 

 of Sagitta from Naples, Wimereux, and Trieste Characteristic is the 

 presence of an oesophageal diverticulum turned forwards and of a large 

 anterior buccal papilla. The parasitic form bears a strong resemljlance 

 to a free pelagic form, which bears a perforating needle in its buccal 

 cavity. The life-history of the parasite remains unknown, but the 

 author looks for the adults in Plectognath fishes. 



Platyhelmintlies. 



Structure of Tapeworms from Reptiles. §—F. E. Beddard describes 

 new species of Ichthyotsenia^ and a new genus, Ophidotsenia. He points 

 out that species of Iclithyotaenia found in monitor lizards {Varanas), 

 and limited to that genus, are more conveniently to be placed in the 

 genus Acanthotsenia of von Linstow. The same species does not occur 

 in more than one species of Varanus, but a single species of Varaiius 

 may contain more than one species of Acanthotsenia parasitic in it. 



In some, at any rate, of the species of Acanthotsenia there is a layer 

 of longitudinal muscles limited to the head and neck, and separating the 

 medulla from the cortical region. These fibres are arranged in bundles. 

 The layer disappears behind the neck, so that in the body generally there 

 is no demarcation between the medulla and cortex. 



* Resumes des Communications 9e Congres Internat. Zool. Monaco, 1913, 

 s6r. 3, pp. 16-17. 



t Proc. Zool. Soc, 1913, pp. 300-21 (4 pis. and 7 figs.). 



X E,6sum6s des Communications 9e Congres Internat. Zool. Monaco, 1913, 

 s6r. 3, pp. 85-6. § Proc. Zool. Soc, 1913, pp. 4-36 (10 figs.). 



