Paper, 'Further observations on the gestation of Indian rays, being natural history notes from H. M. Indian Marine Survey Steamer "Investigator"' by J Wood-Mason and Alfred William Alcock

Description

The authors write: 'On the 24th of February of this year we communicated the results of some observations on the uterine villiform papillæ, or trophonemata, of Pteroplatœa micrua (Bl. Schn.) and their relation to the embryo, and also incidentally referred to the structure and probable functions of similar uterine papillae in Trygon bleekeri and Myliobatis nieuhofii [see PP/17/27]. Since the date of that communication we have been fortunate enough to obtain, in the course of the 'Investigator’s' survey of the Godavari Delta [India], pregnant and parturient females of Trygon walga, Muller and Henle, a pregnant female of Myliobatis nieuhofii (Bl. Schn.), numerous pregnant females of Pteroplataea micrura (Bl. Schn.), and an unimpregnated uterus of Narcine, the examination of which appears to corroborate the view advanced by us as to the function of the uterine papillae and their relation to the embryo. In the case of Pteroplataea micrura, of which species we have examined over a score of pregnant females, we find that the oviduct is dilated into an uterus on both sides of the body equally, and that each uterus may contain from one to three embryos, the usual number being two.'

Annotations in pencil and ink. Includes two plates of anatomical figures.

Subject: Physiology / Zoology / Embryology

Received 9 October 1891. Read 26 November 1891. Communicated by Michael Foster.

A version of this paper was published in volume 50 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'Further observations on the gestation of Indian rays: being natural history notes from H. M. Indian Marine Survey Steamer "Investigator," Commander R. F. Hoskyn, R. N., Commanding. Series II. No. 2'.

Reference number

PP/18/10

Earliest possible date

1891

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

14 pages

Format

Manuscript
Drawing