Darwin found the
stomach perfectly empty in the animal examined by him.
...
Having reached the Nauplius, the extreme outpost of the class, retiring
furthest into the gray mist of primitive time, we naturally look round
us to see whether ways may not be descried thence towards other
bordering regions. By the structure of the abdomen in Nauplius we might
be reminded, like Oscar Schmidt, of the moveable caudal fork of the
Rotatoria, which many regard as near allies of the Crustacea, or at any
rate of the Arthropoda; in the six feet surrounding the mouth we might
imagine an originally radiate structure, and so forth. But I can see
nothing certain. Even towards the nearer provinces of the Myriopoda and
Arachnida I can find no bridge. For the Insecta alone, the development
of the Malacostraca may perhaps present a point of union. Like many
Zoeae, the Insecta possess three pairs of limbs serving for the
reception of nourishment, and three pairs serving for locomotion; like
the Zoeae they have an abdomen without appendages; as in all Zoeae the
mandibles in Insects are destitute of palpi. Certainly but little in
common, compared with the much which distinguishes these two
animal-forms. Nevertheless the supposition that the Insecta had for
their common ancestor a Zoea which raised itself into a life on land,
may be recommended for further examination.
Pages:
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151