430 RECORD OP CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



The gland described by Mayer * in the clasping claw of Phronima 

 occurs in many other Amphipoda. In Caprella Dohrnii sp. n., it 

 occurs in two distinct masses ; the one near the apex of the large 

 " hand " consists of three to four lobes, which each send a number of 

 small ducts to form one large duct which opens at the base of a 

 tubercle on the inner aspect of the hand ; a similar but smaller one 

 lies at the proximal end of the joint, and has a similar duct and 

 opening. In Protella phasma there is but one gland formed of a 

 great number of lobuli, which spread out at the base of the thorn-like 

 tubercle, their common duct opening at its apex ; each lobule is flat- 

 tened and rosettiform, and consists of a group of nucleated cells with 

 nucleoli which are grouped round a space which is the beginning of the 

 duct. Their function may be that of poison-glands, from their position. 



Connective-tissue Elements. — Accompanying the fibres which hold 

 the various internal organs in their positions, and in the capsules 

 which invest the ganglia, are — as already seen for the latter — aggre- 

 gations of large cells. In young individuals these contain homo- 

 geneous protoplasm, and a nucleus somewhat green or yellow 

 coloured ; they divide actively. In adults the appearances are altered 

 by the loss of colour and the granulation of the contents, and the 

 indistinctness which the outline and the nuclei assume ; probably their 

 function was fibrogenous. Gamroth's cephalic funnel-shaped sense- 

 organ is merely an aggregation of these cells. 



Proto pedata varies to a wide extent according to locality. A fila- 

 mentous alga is commensal in the intestine of the smaller species. 

 A flagellate infusorian resembling Anthophysa Miilleri, and a new 

 species of Podophrya — P. crustaceorum — are common attendants on 

 these and other Crustacea. 



The four genera, Proto, Protella, Caprella, Podaliriits, are re- 

 characterized and the species met with described. Under Proto is 

 described a new species, P. hrunneovittata, from Messina. Caprella is 

 divided into two subgenera : (1) with the inferior antennaB carrying 

 swimming hairs ; (2) with the inferior antennae acting as sense-organs. 

 A new species, C. liparotensis, comes from a bay near Lipari ; another, 

 C. Helleri, from Scylla and Messina ; a very small one, C. Dohrnii, 

 from Villafranca ; and one, called C. elongata, from Messina. A new 

 species of Podalirius, P. Kroyeri, was found at Messina. 



The affinities of the genera may be expressed thus : — 



Crevettina 

 (Amphithoe). 



I 

 Froto. 



Protella 

 (P. gracilis, Dana). 



CyamidcB. \ 



JEgina. 



Caprella. 



I 

 Podalirius. 



'Mitth. Zool. Stat. Neapel,' i. (1879) p. 40. 



