ECHINODERMATA— MORPHOLOGY OF SKELETON 



3f)l 



The following table embodies this view of the oral skeleton, viz. 

 that it consists of modified pieces of the first two skeletal segments of 

 the radii (arms). 



Accessory Parts of the Oral Skeleton. 



At each oral angle (at the point where two neighbouring oral-angle plates meet 

 interradially), on the side facing the buccal cavity, there lies a vertical row of small 

 skeletal pieces, which may fuse together to form the torus angularis (Fig. 386, ta, 

 p. 486). This carries the teeth (D) which project into the buccal cavity. The oral- 

 angle plates themselves carry, at the edges which are visible externally, i.e. from 

 the ventral side, small sjiine-like skeletal pieces. Of these those which project into 

 the buccal fissures are called oral papillae ; while those which rise at the tips of the 

 oral angles, and are turned to the axis of the buccal cavity, are called dental 

 papillaa. Consequently, in each oral angle, the teeth above mentioned lie dorsally 

 to the dental papilla\ 



Accessory Skeletal Plates of the Disc. 



Lower side. — The pieces already described as appearing at the surface on the lower 

 side of the disc, and which belong to the oral .system (oral shields) or to the oral 

 skeleton (oral-angle plates, lateral buccal shields, ventral shields), liardly ever form 

 the whole ventral carapace of the disc. On the contrary, between the roots of the 

 arms (interbracliially or interradially) these plates leave free spaces (Figs. 245, p. 300, 

 and 314 ibr) ; tliese are often triangular, and are sometimes covered with plates which 

 vary in size and number, and frequently imbricate, or else they consist of soft integu- 

 ment with small skeletal granules scattered througli it. These interljracliial regions 

 of the disc may be armed with spines of varying length. 



On either side of the root of each arm, on the ventral surface of the disc, there 

 are one or two fissures or slits ; if two, one proximal and the other distal. These 

 bursal apertures (Figs. 245, 246, pp. 300, 301, and Fig. 314) lead into the bursa?, 

 which will be described later. The adradial edge of each of these slits is usually 

 supported by a single skeletal piece, the genital plate, while the interbrachial edge 

 is plated witli a row of scales, which is directly continued into the plating of tlic 

 neighbouring interbrachial region. 



Upper (apical) side of the disc. — It follows from what was said above (p. 327) 



