June 21,1924 
Morphology of the Honeybee Larva 
1193 
The total effect of their action is, however, to contract the ventral surface in a 
longitudinal direction. They are flat bands, 10 or 12 in number, disposed on 
either side of the ventral mid-line, close to the hypodermis, and extend between 
the anterior and posterior margins of each segment. 
VENTRAL OBLIQUE MUSCLES 
These ( VOMcl) overlie the ventral longitudinal muscles, crossing them at an 
angle of about 45 degrees and running in a cephalo-mesiad direction, also con¬ 
necting the anterior and posterior borders of the segment. Each consists at its 
anterior end of a broad band of fibers which splits into two subequal bands at 
its posterior end. 
LATERAL OBLIQUE MUSCLES 
These include two sets of muscles, which may be designated as major oblique 
( ILOMcl ) and minor oblique ( 2L0Mcl ). The major oblique muscles are of 
large size and connect the anterior and posterior borders of their respective 
segments. Their anterior ends are attached to the body wall directly adjacent 
to the line of attachment of the posterior ends of the ventral oblique muscles of 
the segment preceding. From this point each of these muscles runs laterad 
and caudad, spanning the lateral fold of that side, to an attachment on the 
posterior border of the segment approximately on a line with the spiracles. 
The minor lateral oblique muscles (ILOMcl) comprise two small bands lying 
close to the body wall under the major oblique muscles. One of these small 
bands is attached to the posterior margin of the segment just dorsad (ectad) of 
the posterior attachmeht of the ventral oblique muscle; the other band is attached 
to the body wall close in front of this point. These two bands take a dorsad 
and cephalad course, meanwhile diminishing in breadth to a point on the body 
wall just ventrad of the spiracle (Sp). 
DORSO-VENTRAL MUSCLES 
Two pairs of dorso-ventral muscles ( DVMcl ) are present in each segment. 
The muscles of the smaller pair run close to the anterior margin of the segment 
from a point just dorsad (ectad) of the anterior attachment of the major oblique 
muscle to an attachment on the intersegmental body wall about on a line with 
the spiracles. The second set of dorso-ventral muscles comprises three small 
muscle bands on each side of the segment, having their ventral attachment to 
the body wall just caudad of that of the smaller muscles just described, about 
one-fourth of the width of the segment from its anterior margin. Their dorsal 
attachment is close beside that of the minor lateral oblique muscles, below the 
spiracles. 
DORSAL LONGITUDINAL MUSCLES 
These ( DLMcl ) comprise a set of narrow bands, from 10 to 12 on each side, 
underlying the dorsal body wall and divided by the heart into two bilateral 
groups. Their arrangement is truly longitudinal and the area occupied by them 
extends ventrad on each side almost as far as the spiracles. These muscles 
connect the anterior and posterior margins of the segments. 
DORSAL OBLIQUE MUSCLES 
The dorsal oblique muscles ( DOMcl ) include a row of from 10 to 12 slender 
bands on each side. Their posterior ends are attached to the posterior margin of 
the segment, the line of attachment extending dorsad from a point about midway 
between the dorsal and ventral mid-lines halfway to the dorsal mid-line. From 
here these muscles run cephalad and dorsad, diverging slightly, and are attached 
