53 



branchial aperture. The epidermis in this region 

 presents a very interesting condition, and there appear to 

 be numerous modified cutaneous glands. 



There are also great numbers of cutaneous glands 

 present on the endopodites of all the maxillipedes. 



On the endopodites of the pleopods of the female there 

 are closely-packed tegumentary glands. According to 

 Herrick, these secrete the cement which attaches the eggs 

 to the endopodites of the abdominal appendages. 



The function of the various tegumentary glands in 

 various parts of the body is not clearly known. Lang* 

 states that some have an excretory function. There is 

 little doubt that the functions of these glands differ in 

 various regions of the body. Those, for example, on the 

 pleopods are extremely specialised. It is not incon- 

 ceivable that the glands in the integument of the 

 epistoma and metastoma may produce a secretion which 

 is poured on the food as it enters the mouth. 



The glands in the walls of the oesophagus are 

 probably salivary glands. Herrick thinks that this 

 explanation of their function no longer holds good, since 

 glands of similar structure have been found in the walls 

 of the hind-gut. This argument, however, does not carry 

 much weight, if we recognise that all the tegumentary 

 glands (both on the surface and in the walls of the 

 alimentary canal) have the same essential structure, and 

 yet are capable of performing different functions in 

 various regions of the body. 



ECDYSIS. 



The epidermis of all Arthropods is covered by a 

 continuous layer of chitinous integument, which may 

 become calcified in certain regions. This outer integu- 



* Lang. Text-book of Comparative Anatomy, Part I. 



