METAMORPHOSIS OF INSECTS. 321 



Meanwhile another very important event has taken place. We saw 

 that while the cells of the ventral plate increased in depth, the remain- 

 ing cells flattened out laterally ; at the point where the two kinds of 

 cells unite, on either side of the ventral plate, a double fold arises. The 

 two folds unite over the surface of the ventral plate, forming a mem- 

 branous arch over it. The internal fold is called " amniotic," the 

 outer " serous," from their resemblance to the similar envelopes in the 

 embryos of higher Vertebrates. The folds take no direct part in the 

 development of the embryo. 



We must now return to the germinal streak. The gastrula groove 

 may persist as a tube after closure of the blastopore, but it is usually 

 compressed by the ectoderm, or never exists as a distinct cavity. The 

 greater part of the lower stratum of the germinal streak consists of 

 mesoderm. This becomes divided into successive segments at each 

 side, each containing a primitive ccelomic cavity, perhaps continuous 

 with the gastrula cavity. The endoderm arises as paired clusters of 

 cells, found only at the anterior and posterior ends of the primitive 

 streak. These clusters increase rapidly and form long endodermal 

 streaks which curve downwards so as to enclose the yolk. The streaks 

 meet and fuse, first ventrally and later dorsally, thus constituting the 

 mid gut. The yolk nuclei previously mentioned have meanwhile 

 increased rapidly, forming yolk cells which absorb the yolk. These 

 cells are included in the endodermic mid gut, and there break up. As 

 the endoderm grows round the yolk, it is accompanied by a layer 

 (splanchnic) of the mesoblast. Fore and hind gut are formed by 

 invaginations which fuse with the mid gut. 



In the later stages of development the primitive ccelomic pouches 

 lose their cross partitions, become filled with meserichymatic cells, and 

 practically obliterated. The body cavity of the adult is formed by the 

 appearance of lacunae in the cells of the mesenchyme. 



The tracheoe arise as segmentally repeated invaginations of the ecto- 

 derm. The openings of the invaginations form the stigmata. From 

 the hind gut arise the Malpighian tubules, which are therefore ecto- 

 dermic. The development of the other organs is similar to that of the 

 Crustacea. 



In summarising the development of Insecta, one must 

 specially note the peripheral segmentation, the formation of 

 the two-layered germinal streak, the presence of an over 

 arching blastodermic fold, the segmentation of the meso- 

 derm, and the formation of the mid gut by the union of 

 endodermic bands. 



Metamorphosis of Insects. 



(i.) In the lowest Insects namely, in the old-fashioned 

 wingless Thysanura and Collembola, the hatched young are 

 miniature adults. By gradual growth, and after several moult- 

 ings, they attain adult size. 



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