Part 7

The hypostoma is of a peculiar type, deviating from that of the other genera, squarish or rectangularly transverse, entirely without terrace lines and no maculæ proper. BARRANDE has given no less than nine different samples of these hypostomas.

=Acidaspis crenata= EMMR.

(Pl. I figs 1-6.)

There are certainly no maculæ of the same sort as in so many other trilobites and the interior side of the hypostoma does not bear the least traces of impressions which might be taken as the reverse of the maculæ and still more less as muscular impressions. In fact, the total absence of such in Acidaspis militates against the interpretation of the macula impressions as muscular scars. When the maculæ fail, also the so called muscular impressions fail. Moreover we are able to see still clearer in this matter through what we know about the structure and position of the extremely similar hypostoma of Apus, of which we have given a description in the end of this memoir. This skeletal part of Apus is without any connection with the surroundings, excepting at its anterior margin, and is consequently movable in a direction outwards and upwards. Along that anterior margin it is fixed to the outside of the ventricle through three pair of muscles, three muscles on each side of the margin. ZADDACH De Apodis cancriformis anatome (pl. II fig. XIV p. 68).

For the rest the marks of the attachment of the muscles are as a rule in the Crustacea, at least those of the head, elevated small platforms, so in the Trilobites, of which I have excellent specimens in a Bumastus and others. On the inside of the head of Limulus they are faintly elevated patches. The small hollows on the inside of the hypostoma formed by the maculæ are indeed the sockets in which the soft parts of these more or less developed hypostomic eyes were sheltered. But there is still a feature in the hypostoma of Acidaspis which merits our attention and which perhaps may have a significance akin to that of the maculæ.

The hypostoma is square, with two short pointed wings, one on each side of the slightly bent anterior margin and likewise two smaller ones at the corners of the posterior margin. A groove follows on a short distance the lateral margins and the posterior margin and disappears a little below the anterior one. In the same direction, distally, though a little more inside and unconnected with them there are two small grooves, the bottom of which consists of a shell substance of different colour and structure than the other parts. Having been a little ground and seen in transmitted light it exhibits the shape of a club and a homogenous yellow spot, tapering posteriorly and swelling out distally (Pl. I fig. 4). It must be left an open question whether these maculæ share in the nature of visual organs as the quite different maculæ of the other trilobites, but it may be possible that it is so. It must, however, be remarked that there are two types of hypostoma in the genus Acidaspis as shown by the illustrations of BARRANDE. One has the small grooves, possibly all sheltering the claviform maculæ, disposed as in the now described A. crenata. This group embraces five species of the Bohemian Silurian formation. The other group of three species again has the hypostoma of the same quadratic or rectangular shape, but the two short grooves, which may be expected to contain the maculæ, are placed midways between the anterior and the posterior margins, nearly as the maculæ bearing grooves of other trilobites. We have however not had material for pursuing our researches in this genus, the other species of the Swedish Acidaspidæ being unknown as to their hypostoma.

It may here be added an observation concerning the ornamentation of the exterior surface of the hypostoma of Ac. crenata. It is covered by a great number of diminutive circular or oblong wartlets occupying the whole surface excepting the lower third of the central field just above the posterior groove which is smooth. These wartlets seen through transmitted light (Pl. I fig. 5) show in their interior something like a peculiar black spiculum rising from a bifid rootlet and confined within the wartlet and not extruding from it. In a longitudinal section (Pl. I fig. 6) the spicula perforate the wartlets reaching through their whole length. As in Calymmene these interior pseudo-spicula are tubes, filled with iron-pyrites. It is probable that these tubes were once bearing setæ and quite as in Apus formed a fur of bristles.

The structure of the cephalic eyes (Pl. 1 f. 1-2) is prismatic, but the separate prisms are rather short and broad. Their lower or interior end is convex. The separating lines between the single prisms are not always distinct.

=Agnostus= DALM.

Pl. 1 fig. 7.

Agnostus glandiformis ANG. Although there is not the slightest evidence of eyes in this the largest of its genus, nor any free hypostoma hitherto has been found, we may here give a little account of our researches into this species. The scantiness of material forms a chief obstacle to our knowledge. Only three entire, rolled up specimens have been found, and it is by sectioning and preparing such that any hope can be entertained to gain reliable results.

A rolled up specimen from Andrarum Scania was sectioned lengthwise. The tail-piece closed tight against the head-shield, so there had been little chance for foreign matter to penetrate into the interior which, however, is filled. Close below the cephalic shield there is a remarkable structure, mostly resembling an elongated intestine with swellings joined by more narrow ducts and anteriorly the coherence is interrupted. As in crustaceans and Arthropods in general the stomach and the intestine are situated on the dorsal side of the body, there is nothing unlikely in assuming that this in reality may be the remnants of the intestine. This may also be compared with the observation made by VOLLBORTH in his memoir »Ueber die mit glatten Rumpfgliedern versehenen Trilobiten», 1863, p. 46, tab. 1 fig. 12 where the heart-tube probably is delineated. BARRANDE has also given figures of what he considers as the intestine in Trinucleus.

Below this organ in Agnostus, there lies a section of a vaulted calcareous plate with its convexity turned against the dorsal side of the head shield, that is to say quite the reverse what might have been expected if it had been the hypostoma in its true position. This may, however, not be any objection against considering it as a sectioned hypostoma, loosened from its connection with the cephalic shield, disturbed in its original position and turned round, when the shell became filled with mud. At the distal end there is a much distinct duplicature.

=Asaphus= BRONGN.

The wellknown hypostoma of this genus has the same characteristic shape, though more pronounced, as in Ptychopyge, with its posterior margin deeply indented, so as to form two large, pointed lobes. There is properly only one median field, surrounded by flat, lateral borders, continuing down into the posterior lobes, from which it is separated through a shallow groove. The macula are situated in this groove, on each side of the inferior border of the central field. They are more or less prominent, but whatever their form may be, their surface is always entirely smooth, lying well circumscribed amidst the surrounding terrace lines.

The following list enumerates all the species in this genus, of which previous authors have delineated the tubercles, though they in the descriptions only in very few instances have mentioned their presence.

A. acuminatus NIECZKOWSKI, »Zusätze zur Monogr. der Trilobiten 1859», tab. I, f. 6. Maculæ most prominent, but no mention made of them in the description.

A. (Isotelus) canalis J. HALL, Pal. N. Y. I, pl. 4 bis, f. 18-19. Though this and a following species probably on account of the deviating conformation of their body, belong to a different genus or subgenus, I mention them along with the Asaphi, as there is the greatest similarity in their hypostoma. Fragment of an interior cast; still more strange is the fragment showing part of the interior surface and the duplicature.

A. expansus L. BR. I pl. VII f. 3, BR. II pl. I f. 2, 2 c. In the two first figures there are no tubercles nor maculæ marked, in the last figure there are distinct tubercles.

A. fallax A. pl. XXVIII f. 3, c. BR. II pl. I, f. 3, both nearly congruent.

A. (Isotelus) gigas J. HALL, Pal. N. Y. 1, pl. 60, f. 7 g, pl. 66 f. 5, the inside of an entire, uncommonly large hypostoma gives a general good view with the macula; which are large and evident. He mentions the maculæ as »two circular spots». »These probably indicate the points for the attachment of muscles and tendons upon the inside,» he adds.

A. ingens BARR. NOVÁK II, pl. I, f. 7, a good figure showing two semiglobular maculæ. BARRANDE'S figures pl. 33, f. 7, 8 are not distinct.

A. ludibundus TQT. BR. II, pl. 1, f. 7. Two semilunar sulci on the cast of the interior surface, being only the posterior borders of the maculæ which are a little more raised and distinct than the rest.

A. nobilis BARR. pl. 32, f. 6. Indistinct traces of maculæ. In the figure 6, pl. 31 representing the hypostoma of a young specimen, there are no tubercles at all. If the figures were to be relied upon, it might be assumed, that the tubercles appear at a more mature age.

A. Powisii SALTER, pl. 23, f. 6. Two semilunar, narrow tubercular maculæ, their interior apices converging towards the anterior border of the hypostoma.

A. raniceps A., pl. XXVIII, f. 2 c., BR. II, pl. 1, f. 4. A good figure.

A. raniceps var. maxima BR. II, pl. 1, f. 6. Semilunar impressions on a cast and thus far incomplete.

A. striatus BOECK. To this belongs probably A. expansus M. SARS »Ueber einige neue oder unvollständig bekannte Trilobiten» in Isis 1835 p. 333, and especially p. 340 and the following (Bemerkungen über die untere Seite von einigen Trilobiten). SARS there gives a very good description of the exterior side, where he also mentions the two maculæ, pl. IX, f. 9 a, b. (»2 kleine Knoten»), BR. I, pl. VIII, f. 4 a, and BR. II, pl. I, f. 9. These latter figures differ in so far, that the former has the maculæ excavated or rather tubular below, in the latter again they are regular.