^ 199. THE ACEPUALA. 217 



§ 199. 



The genital organs of Salpa are yet quite imperfectly known. They 

 cannot be found except at the procreative period, and in a very few species 

 only Ovaries have been discovered. 



These consist of two fiexuous zigzag cords, situated each side of the 

 median line of the back, between the mantle and peritoneum. Sometimes 

 they are prominent from their violet color. *^' The young are always 

 developed near the nucleus, in a cavity circumscribed by the peritoneum, 

 but it is yet not determined whether it communicates with the ovaries by 

 an oviduct, and whether it has distinct walls, so as to be comparable to an 

 uterus. 



As to the Male genital organs, we are yet in almost complete want of 

 reliable researches. 



From a single observation, it would appear that there is a testicle x3on- 

 cealed in the nucleus, between the coils of the intestine, and communicat- 

 ing, near the anus, with the cavity of the body.^-> But this still leaves it 

 uncertain whether these animals are hermaphrodites or of separate sexes. '^^ 



The Ascidiae are evidently hermaphrodites, for the male and female 

 organs, varying as to number and position, are found upon one and the 

 same individual between the walls of the muscular and branchial sacs. 



With the compound forms, as well as with many of the simple ones, the 

 long, compact and usually yellowish ovarian mass is situated at the base 

 of the cavity of the body. From this there arises a large thin-walled ovi- 

 duct lined with ciliated epithelium, which ascends along the rectum towards 

 the anal tube and opens into the cloaca through a papilla. Along its side 

 and often beneath it, there is another long mass, which is evidently, from 

 its contents, a testicle. It has a narrow and very tortuous Vas deferens 

 filled with sperm, which runs parallel with the oviduct to its very extrem- 

 ity.'^^ Cynthia presents a remarkable exception in this respect. The gen- 



1 These two ovaries have been most thoroughly with Salpa pinnata, lies along the intestinal canal, 



observed with Salpa pinnata, see Forskdl, Des- is a Fas deferens. 



crip, in itinere orient, observ. p. 13, Tab. XXXV. 3 At all events, the question needs careful exam- 



B. b', 4; Cuvier, loc. cit. p. 12, fig. 1. 2, W 'i ination, whether both the simple and the compound 



Chamisso, loc. cit. p. 6, fig. 1 ; Delle Chiaje, Me- forms of Salpa have male organs, or only one of 



nior. &c. III. Tav. LXV. fig. 8, h. ; Meyen, loc. them. In this last case, these animals would have 



cit. p. 399, Tab. XXVII. fig. 1, 21, f. ; and the some resemblance to the Aphides. Sars (loc. cit. 



Catal. of tlie Phys. Series, &c., I. PI. VI. fig. 1-4, p. 77) having declared that the solitary individ- 



p. Cuvier (loc. cit. p. 22. fig. 8) has also observed uals of Salpa are sexless, then the aggregate indi- 



two ovaries with Salpa cylindrica. It must also viduals ought to be considered as representing the 



be added here that, according to Forskdl and Ctia- perfect state of these animals ; but as yet neither 



jnisso, there are two violet ovaries, with Salpapin- this author, nor Kro/in (Froriep^s neue Notiz. XL. 



nata both in a shnple and an aggregated form. p. 151, and Ann. d. Sc. Nat. 1846, VI. p. 110) have 



- It was Krohn (loc. cit. p. .52) who recognized been able to show the existence of ovaries in these 



witli Salpa ?naxima a round testicle in the centre animals. At least these two naturalists pass in 



of the nucleus. It was composed of numerous silence the violet ovarian striae of Salpa, mentioned 



seminiferous delicate canals filled with a white sem- by other observers. 



inal liquid, and opening by a short canal into the 4 Cuvier and Savi^ny have known, and often 



natatory cavity. This testicle is probably the same figured the female organs of tha Ascidiae. Those 



organ that Delle Chiaje (Descriz. A:c. III. Tav. of both sexes have been figured by JVi(7/ie £duiarrf5 



L.YXVIII. fig. 4, d.) has described as an ovary. (Observ. surles Ascid. comp. p. 21, PI. III. fig. 1, 



The assertion of Meyen, on the other hand (loc. 2*. II. fig. 1, 3) with Clavelina, Amaroucium, 



cit. p. 397, Tab. XXMII. fig. 5-10), that a coni- and Polyclinum. The testicle of Phallusia and 



cal organ which, with Salpa mucronata, is situ- /JAo;)rt/aea is <iuite peculiar. It consists of a white 



ated in front of the cervical ganglion, belongs to multiramose canal widely spread over the hepatic 



the male genital organs, is unfoumled and cer- layer of the intestinal canal ; while the ovary al- 



tainly incorrect. But the observation of Krohn, ways lies in a loop of the intestine ; see Delle Chi- 



on the contrary, gives support to the opinion eye, Memor. III. p. 192, Tav. XLV. fig. 16, i.,and 



of Delle Chiaje (Mem. &c. III. p. 62, and De- Uescriz. &c. in. p. 27, Tav. L.X.XXII. lig. Ki, 



Kriz. &c. III. p. 42) that this white canal which, LXXXIV. fig. 1, i. (Phallusia iniestinalis aud 



19 



