84 Records of the Indian Miisettm. [Yoi,. XIX, 



The acetabulum is situated on the ventral surface, where it 

 forms a well-marked projection, about one -third of the bod3'-length 

 from the anterior end : its exact position varies according to the 

 degree of growth to which the specimen has attained. As Cort 

 (igig (b), p. 295) has pointed out in the case of Margemia califor- 

 niensis, during development " there is relatively a much greater 

 growth of the post-acetabular region, undoubtedly correlated with 

 the development of the coils of the uterus to hold the enormous 

 numbers of eggs produced." Exactly the same pheno- 

 menon occurs in this species, and, in consequence, as the body- 

 length increases the relative position of the acetabulum moves 

 steadily towards the anterior end. In specimens having a body- 

 length of i*o mm. the proportion of pre- and post-acetabular regions 

 is 38 : 62 ; while in specimens which have attained a body- 

 length of 2"o mm. the pre- and post-acetabular regions have a 

 relative proportion of only 30 : 70. This sucker is somewhat 

 smaller than the oral sucker, the proportional sizes being about 

 5 : 4, and a study of the measurements given in Table II above 

 show that at any rate in fixed and contracted specimens it is slightly 

 oval in outline, its long-axis lying in the transverse diameter. 



The skin is provided in the anterior two-thirds of the body 

 with numerous fine posteriorly-directed spines, which are arranged 

 in transverse rows, those of one row alternating in position with 

 those of the row in front and behind : in the posterior third of the 

 body the cuticular spines gradually thin out and finally disappear 

 altogether. In addition to this cuticular armature the skin on the 

 dorsal surface of the anterior region of the body is provided with a 

 number of scattered unicellular glands : these gland-cells are some- 

 what irregular in shape, but usually possess an elongate pyriform 

 outline ; they are composed of refractile, finely-granular proto- 

 plasm and appear to possess a short narrow neck or duct, which 

 opens by a small pore to the exterior. Exacth^ similar 

 cutaneous glands have been described and figured by l/ooss in 

 several closely-related species, e.g. in Opisthoglyphe ranae 

 (FroHch) [Looss, 1895, p. 86, fig. 155] and in Haplometya cylin- 

 dracea (Zed) [Looss, 1895, p. 66, fig. 149], both of which are 

 placed by Odhner in his Family Lepodermatidae : also in Pleuro- 

 genes claviger (Rud) [lyooss, 1895, fig. 171 A] and P. medians 

 (Olss.) [Looss, 1895, figs. 36 and 187, C. ], in Lecithodendrium gland- 

 ulosuni (Looss) [Looss, 1900, p. 66, fig. 43], L. obtmum (Looss) [Looss, 

 1900, p. 78, fig. 53], L. hirsiitum (Looss) [Looss, 1900, p. 69, figs. 

 45> 47]^ and L. sphaerula (tooss) , [Looss, 1900, 'p. 81, fig. 57] and in 

 Anchilotrema sanguineum (Sons.) [Looss, 1900, p. 107, fig. 75], all 

 of which Odhner places in the Family Lecithodendriidae. It seems 

 probable that the presence of these unicellular cutaneous glands is 

 of frequent, if not of universal, occurrence in the members of the 

 Lepodermatidae and Lecithodendriidae and other closely related 

 families, and that they are the persistent remains of the cysto- 

 genous cells that are present in the larval, cercarial stage [but see 

 Looss, 1895, p. 124]. 



