Anomuran Spermatophor es — Matthews 
As the sperm column becomes elliptical, a 
secretion from the epithelial cells bounding 
the more pointed extremities of the elliptical 
lumen envelops the sperm column and forms 
the sperm column sheath. 
Serial sections through somewhat more dis- 
tal regions of the vas deferens disclose that 
the lumen gradually becomes pear-shaped. In 
longitudinal sections through this region 
(Fig. 1) the sheathed, sperm column appears 
as a series of partially closed arches (c), joined 
one to another by portions of the compressed, 
empty, sperm column sheath (d). 
Longitudinal sections through slightly more 
distal regions of the vas deferens (Fig. 2) 
disclose that a secretion from the epithelial 
cells ( /) bordering the narrow portion of the 
lumen forms the foot (e) and fills with pre- 
cursory stalk material (d) the spaces between 
the closing arches. 
Thus far, the histological and physiological 
phenomena of spermatophoric development 
in A. maximus parallel those of Dardanus 
punctulatus (Matthews, 1956) and Dardanus 
asper (Matthews, 1953: 260-262, figs. 7, 8, 9, 
10, 11) in which truly pedunculate spermato- 
phores are ultimately elaborated. 
In D. asper , as in A. maximus , the living 
vasa deferentia exhibit spasmodic contrac- 
FlG. 1. Longitudinal section of the proximal vas 
deferens of Aniculus maximus showing: a , muscle layer; 
b, elongate epithelial cells; c, partially closed arches of 
sheathed, sperm column; d, compressed, empty sperm 
column sheath connecting partially closed arches; e, 
short, epithelial cells bounding narrow portion of 
lumen. 
381 
tions which serve both to move the sperm 
mass and to mold it in compliance with the 
gradually changing internal die, i.e., first 
cylindrical, then elliptical, then pear-shaped. 
In D. asper also, a secretion from epithelial 
cells isolated at opposite ends of the elliptical 
lumen forms the sperm column sheath. And 
this sheathed sperm column, by muscular 
contractions of the wall of the vas deferens, 
forms partially closed arches, joined one to 
another by portions of the compressed, empty, 
sperm column sheath. In D. asper , too, a 
secretion from the epithelial cells bordering 
the narrow portion of the pear-shaped lumen 
forms the foot and fills with precursory stalk 
material the spaces between the closing arches. 
From this stage of development on, the 
processes in the elaboration of pedunculate 
and non-pedunculate spermotophores diverge. 
This divergence results, for the most part, 
from subsequent activities of the epithelial 
cells bounding the lumen. 
In D. asper ( op . cit., p. 263, figs. 12, 13), the 
epithelial cells at the narrow region of the 
pear-shaped lumen form a groove into which 
the precursor of the stalks is secreted. As the 
groove deepens, the stalk material lengthens 
both by the continued secretion of the epi- 
thelial cells and by the muscular contractions 
in the walls of the vas deferens. It is note- 
worthy that the lengthening of the stalks 
carries the ampullae of sperm "above” the 
foot and that the connecting sperm column 
sheaths between adjacent ampullae become 
extremely thin and finally obscure. Even in 
the short spermatophores of Birgus latro and 
Coenobita rugosus (Matthews, 1956) the stalks 
are lengthened sufficiently to carry the am- 
pullae of sperm "above” the foot. 
In A. maximus (Fig. 3) the epithelial cells 
( /) fail to form a deep groove into which the 
precursor of the stalks is secreted. Instead, 
this region of the lumen (d) widens and the 
secretion from the epithelial cells spreads out 
forming the broad foot (e). Noteworthy also 
is the sectioned portion of an arch (c), which 
here measures 112 microns high and 71 mi- 
