Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 External morphology and functional anatomy
- 3 The integument, moulting and regeneration
- 4 The musculature and endoskeleton
- 5 The nervous system and sense organs
- 6 Sensory responses and related behaviour
- 7 Endocrinology
- 8 The alimentary canal
- 9 The poison glands
- 10 Feeding and digestion
- 11 The respiratory system
- 12 The circulatory system
- 13 Pigments
- 14 Connective tissue and fat body
- 15 Head glands
- 16 The Malpighian tubules and nephridia
- 17 The reproductive system and reproduction
- 18 Post-embryonic development and life history
- 19 Epidermal glands and their function, defence and predators
- 20 Parasites
- 21 Physiology and ecology
- 22 Taxonomy
- 23 Relationships of the chilopod orders
- 24 The classification of the Chilopoda
- Bibliography
- Index
16 - The Malpighian tubules and nephridia
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Introduction
- 2 External morphology and functional anatomy
- 3 The integument, moulting and regeneration
- 4 The musculature and endoskeleton
- 5 The nervous system and sense organs
- 6 Sensory responses and related behaviour
- 7 Endocrinology
- 8 The alimentary canal
- 9 The poison glands
- 10 Feeding and digestion
- 11 The respiratory system
- 12 The circulatory system
- 13 Pigments
- 14 Connective tissue and fat body
- 15 Head glands
- 16 The Malpighian tubules and nephridia
- 17 The reproductive system and reproduction
- 18 Post-embryonic development and life history
- 19 Epidermal glands and their function, defence and predators
- 20 Parasites
- 21 Physiology and ecology
- 22 Taxonomy
- 23 Relationships of the chilopod orders
- 24 The classification of the Chilopoda
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Malpighian tubules
In centipedes the Malpighian tubules are a pair of long, forwardly running, blind tubules which originate at the junction of the mid- and hind-gut (Figs. 110, 111).
Lithobiomorpha
The Malpighian tubules of Lithobius forficatus have been described by Plateau (1878), Palm (1953) and Rilling (1968). The tubules open into the gut by way of a distinct urinary bladder or ampulla, the inner portion of which is a narrow tube piercing the intestinal wall (Fig. 151a). Palm failed to identify distinct sphincter muscles but thought it probable that the muscular coat of the intestine which surrounds the inner portion of the ampulla functions as a sphincter. Rilling (1968) stated that the ampullae show a typical mid-gut musculature but annexe the circular muscles of the hind-gut. In some specimens the tubules terminate in a small thin-walled transparent vesicle, Palm was unable to determine whether this was caused by physiological conditions or whether it was a morphological variation.
The epithelium of the ampulla has a strong basement membrane along which run very thin longitudinal muscle fibres; a few circular and oblique fibrils are also present. In many places connective tissue cells occur around the ampullae, either situated directly on the basement membrane or connected with it by fine cytoplasmic processes. The ampulla cells are tall and narrow with basal nuclei. The apical parts of the cells contain indistinct granules and more or less prominent vacuoles. There is no cell cuticle or brush border.
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- Information
- The Biology of Centipedes , pp. 239 - 251Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1981