386 



PROF. W. J. DAKTN ON THE 



ill consequence to lie freely in the central cavity of the body — 

 in realit}' the ovary-wall pi-ojects in the form of vevy delicate 

 follicles, (10) Receptacula seminis are present, each communi- 

 cating with the oviduct of its side by two ducts which are 

 ciliated. 



AFFINITIES OF THE WEST AUSTRALIAN 

 PERIPATOIDES. 



Bouvier discusses at some length the affinities of his Peripatoides 

 iDOodioardi. His account requires bringing up to date owing to 

 the corrections necessary by reason, first, of the increased know- 

 ledge of this northern variety, and, second, owing to the infor- 

 mation now brought forward regarding the anatomy of the 

 southern form know^n to Bouvier as a distinct species. According 

 to Bouvier the West Australian Peripatus is remarkable for its 

 multiple affinities. It is supposed to resemble P. suteri of New 

 Zealand by the presence of 16 pairs of legs and by the absence of* 

 an accessory tooth on the outer blade of the mandible. At the 

 same time it is distinguished from this species by most other 

 characters and resembles P. leuckartii * in the following : — 

 1, altei-nation of tegumentary folds : 2, reduction of the pedal 

 papillse to three; 3, the relative dimensions of the rings of the 

 soles ; 4, the multiplicity of the crural glands ; 5, the analogy of 

 the anal glands ; 6, a certain resemblance in the unpaired portion 

 of the male gonoduct. 



It is, however, different from all other species in the possession 

 of crural glands on the first legs — glands of enormous length. 

 It is supposed to be unique in the constant presence of 16 pairs 

 of legs with 3 papillae. Its unpaired male duct is supposed to 

 be really like no others. In short, it is supposed to present a 

 mixture of primitive characters with others indicating a, long 

 evolution. These may be classified as follows \- — 



Primitive Characters. Advanced Characters. 



1. Crural glands opening on 1. No teeth on outer blade of 



each leg. mandible. 

 2 16 pairs of le2:s. 2. Pedal papilla) reduced to 



three. 



3. Seminal receptacles atro- 



phied. 



4. Character of male gono- 



duct. 



I do not consider that we can lay much stress upon affinities 

 which are only indicated by the presence of 16 versus 15 pairs of 



* P leucTcartH is taken as the correct name for tlie common Peripatns of the 

 East, usually designated P. orientalis hy Bouvier. For a discussion on the "omen- 

 clature of this species see Dendy (Q. J. M. S. vol. xlv. p. 388, and Zool. Anz. 1006. 

 pp. 175-177). 



