

CHAP. VII. NAUPLIUS-BROOD OF PENEUS. 57 



secondary branch ; the mandibles have no palpi ; the 

 maxillipedes of the third pair, like the two following pairs 

 of feet, are divided into two branches of nearly equal 

 length ; whilst the last of the existing pairs of feet and 

 the second pair of maxillipedes bear only an inconsider- 

 able secondary branch. Coste, as is well known, asserts 

 that he has bred young Phyllosomata from the ova of 

 this lobster a statement that requires further proof, 

 especially as the more recent investigations of Claus upon 

 PJiyllosoma by no means appear to be in its favour. 



The large compound eyes, which usually soon become 

 moveable, and sometimes stand upon long stalks even 

 in the earliest period, as well as the carapace, which 

 covers the entire fore-body, indicate at once that the 

 position of the larvae hitherto considered, notwithstand- 

 ing all their differences, is under the Podophthalma. 

 But not a single characteristic of this section is retained 

 by the brood of some Prawns belonging to the genus 

 Peneus or in its vicinity. These quit the egg with an 

 unsegmented ovate body, a median frontal eye, and 

 three pairs of natatory feet, of which the anterior are 

 simple, and the other two biramose in fact, in the 

 larval form, so common among the lower Crustacea, to 

 which 0. F. Miiller gave the name of Nauplius. No 

 trace of a carapace ! no trace of the paired eyes ! no 

 trace of masticating organs near the mouth which is 

 overarched by a helmet-like hood ! 



In the case of one of these species the intermediate 

 forms which lead from the Nauplius to the Prawn, have 

 been discovered in a nearly continuous series. 



