284
“black Spots [brown bodies] are nothing, but the dead Polypes”
(Ellis 1755 , p. 34). Describing and depicting ovicells in
several species of “Celliferous Corallines” and “Escharas”
from the genera Bugula , Scrupocellaria , Bicellariella , Flustra
and Chartella , Ellis called them “Balls”, “testaceous
Spherules”, “testaceous Figures” or “shelly Figures … like
small snails or Neritae” (pp. 34–37). In the case of Bugula ,
Ellis stated “that these little Snails are perfect Animals, nobody will doubt” (p. 35), supposing that “these little Shellfi sh … in their mature state, may deposite on rocks, Fucus ’s,
and Shells, such curiously implicated Matrices or Ovaries,
which, in time, may unfold and extend themselves into those
many beautifi l Tree-like Forms that we fi nd them in” (p. xi).
He further wrote: “Let us suppose, that the testaceous
Animal … lays its Eggs; these turn into vermicular-shaped
Polypes, which, after they have fi xed themselves to some
marine Substance, rise up, and push forth in to branches of
small Polypes [polypides] in their cells [zooids]. …From this
state then of being small Polypes, we have observed that they
changed into testaceous Animals [the small Polypes in the
cells acquire a testaceous Covering, p. xi], connected to their
cells [cystids] by the umbilical Ligament, till they are capable of providing for themselves”. And else, “polypes turning
into testaceous Bodies … grow large, and become capable of
spawning the whole Coralline, in the same manner that the
Buccinum … does its curious Matrices [egg batches]” (Ellis
1755 , pp. 34–36).
This remarkable point of view (reminiscent of the metagenesis of salps and cnidarians that was discovered much
later) was also refl ected in illustrations (Ellis 1753 , Tab. 5A;
1755 , pl. XIX, fi g. A), in which Bugula neritina ovicells
were depicted as tubes of spirorbid polychaetes or spiral
shells of small gastropods (see also Chap. 2 , Fig. 2.38 ).
Evidently, Ellis often met these epibionts on bryozoan colonies and could sometimes confuse them with ovicells (see
also discussion in Levinsen 1909 ). Incidentally, the epithet
“ neritina ” was attributed to this bryozoan species by
Linnaeus ( 1758 ) because of the similarity to the-above mentioned “Neritae”. In the same edition of “Systema Naturae…”
( 1758 ), the illustrious Swede used this name for a genus of
gastropods. Interestingly, Ellis also considered the possibility of the similar connection between bryozoans and bivalves,
writing that “there appears a great Probability of some of
these being the Matrices or Ovaries of certain Species of
Shell-fi sh, perhaps of the Bivalve Kind” (Ellis 1755 , p. xv,
discussed also in Levinsen 1909 ; Ostrovsky 2004 , 2008b ). In
describing Flustra foliacea (as Eschara ), he mentioned “at
the Entrance of many of the Cells, a small testaceous Body,
like a bivalve Shell” (p. 71). Thus, although in a confusing
manner, Ellis clearly connected ovicells with the production
of eggs, despite sometimes writing that colonies “may
deposite … Ovaries” (Ellis 1755 , p. xi).
Following the inclusion of Zoophyta in his “Systema
Naturae …” in 1758 , Linnaeus wrote of “capsulas seminiferas”
(p. 643) in the “diagnosis” of this group in all the following
editions ( 1760 , 1767 ). He also divided Zoophyta-Sertularia
into two sections, one with “Ovariis distinctis et exsertis
instructae” ( 1758 , p. 807), and the second with “Ovariis non
distinctis, sed intra articulos latitantibus [hidden] (p. 814).”
Since both cheilostome and cyclostome bryozoans with
hyperstomial ovicells and gonozooids and hydroids with
swollen gonothecae were included in Sertularia, it seems it
was Linnaeus (possibly infl uenced by the works of Ellis with
whom he was in correspondence) who formally termed all
these structures as ovaries.
In his “Elenchus Zoophytorum …” Pallas ( 1766 )
expressed the view that “vesiculas” [gonozooids] known in
crisiid cyclostomes (as Cellulariae) and “bulla[e], galeae”
(helmet-shaped bubbles) [ovicells] in encrusting “ Escharas ”
might be ovaria ( 1766 , pp. 36, 60), and that “Galericulae”
(small helmets) [ovicells] in erect Bugula neritina and
B . avicularia (as Cellularia ) could be somehow related
(“subanalogae”) to them. Comparing the latter two species,
he also speculated that both ovicells (“bullulas infl atis”) and
avicularia (“galericula s. Nectarium infl ato rostratum, aviculae caput referens”) are organs of a similar nature, possibly
destined for fertilization (pp. 60, 67, 69). In describing
B. plumosa , Pallas objected to Ellis ( 1755 ), writing that the
“corpuscula neritiformia” are not the progeny of “this small
plant” (Pallas 1766 , 1787 ), but organs, possibly ovaries, and
may serve for “seminifi cationi” (p. 67) (see also Levinsen
1909 for discussion).
Ellis did not agree, however. On the one hand, he wrote in
the diagnosis of “ Flustra (The Sea Mat)” that “the ovaries
appear to be the pearl-like studs (bullulae supra cellulas)”, or
“helmet-shaped bullae, that we fi nd at the tops of the cell”
(Ellis and Solander 1786 , pp. 11, 16). Also, in the diagnosis
of “ Cellaria (Celleferous Coralline)” it is said that “the ovaries are uncertain, but most probably the little hemispherical
covers, that appear over the cells, do that offi ce” (p. 19).
Defending his initial idea, Ellis admitted that “the likeness
to Nerits of its rows of little round adhering bodies, which are
open on one side, together with their shell-like fi gure and
pearly shining look, inclined me to believe at fi rst that they
were the young ones of such a small kind of shell-fi sh. But
by comparing them with the fi gures of others of this genus,
they appear rather to be what we have called Ovaries.” But he
continued “Or perhaps they are young of the animal defended
by a testaceous covering like a little shell-fi sh, which at the
time of its maturity separates from its umbilical cord … drops
and soon adheres to a proper substance as a base, beginning
to form a Coralline like the parental animal. This seems more
probable, than to consider each of them as an ovary, which
usually contains many eggs of the same animal” (Ellis and
Solander 1786 , p. 20). Describing Bugula neritina (as
Cellaria neritina or Snail- bearing Coralline), Ellis writes that
it has “a little egg [ovicell] on the outside of each” cell [zooid]
“with an opening surrounded by a dark-colored margin”
Appendices
“black Spots [brown bodies] are nothing, but the dead Polypes”
(Ellis 1755 , p. 34). Describing and depicting ovicells in
several species of “Celliferous Corallines” and “Escharas”
from the genera Bugula , Scrupocellaria , Bicellariella , Flustra
and Chartella , Ellis called them “Balls”, “testaceous
Spherules”, “testaceous Figures” or “shelly Figures … like
small snails or Neritae” (pp. 34–37). In the case of Bugula ,
Ellis stated “that these little Snails are perfect Animals, nobody will doubt” (p. 35), supposing that “these little Shellfi sh … in their mature state, may deposite on rocks, Fucus ’s,
and Shells, such curiously implicated Matrices or Ovaries,
which, in time, may unfold and extend themselves into those
many beautifi l Tree-like Forms that we fi nd them in” (p. xi).
He further wrote: “Let us suppose, that the testaceous
Animal … lays its Eggs; these turn into vermicular-shaped
Polypes, which, after they have fi xed themselves to some
marine Substance, rise up, and push forth in to branches of
small Polypes [polypides] in their cells [zooids]. …From this
state then of being small Polypes, we have observed that they
changed into testaceous Animals [the small Polypes in the
cells acquire a testaceous Covering, p. xi], connected to their
cells [cystids] by the umbilical Ligament, till they are capable of providing for themselves”. And else, “polypes turning
into testaceous Bodies … grow large, and become capable of
spawning the whole Coralline, in the same manner that the
Buccinum … does its curious Matrices [egg batches]” (Ellis
1755 , pp. 34–36).
This remarkable point of view (reminiscent of the metagenesis of salps and cnidarians that was discovered much
later) was also refl ected in illustrations (Ellis 1753 , Tab. 5A;
1755 , pl. XIX, fi g. A), in which Bugula neritina ovicells
were depicted as tubes of spirorbid polychaetes or spiral
shells of small gastropods (see also Chap. 2 , Fig. 2.38 ).
Evidently, Ellis often met these epibionts on bryozoan colonies and could sometimes confuse them with ovicells (see
also discussion in Levinsen 1909 ). Incidentally, the epithet
“ neritina ” was attributed to this bryozoan species by
Linnaeus ( 1758 ) because of the similarity to the-above mentioned “Neritae”. In the same edition of “Systema Naturae…”
( 1758 ), the illustrious Swede used this name for a genus of
gastropods. Interestingly, Ellis also considered the possibility of the similar connection between bryozoans and bivalves,
writing that “there appears a great Probability of some of
these being the Matrices or Ovaries of certain Species of
Shell-fi sh, perhaps of the Bivalve Kind” (Ellis 1755 , p. xv,
discussed also in Levinsen 1909 ; Ostrovsky 2004 , 2008b ). In
describing Flustra foliacea (as Eschara ), he mentioned “at
the Entrance of many of the Cells, a small testaceous Body,
like a bivalve Shell” (p. 71). Thus, although in a confusing
manner, Ellis clearly connected ovicells with the production
of eggs, despite sometimes writing that colonies “may
deposite … Ovaries” (Ellis 1755 , p. xi).
Following the inclusion of Zoophyta in his “Systema
Naturae …” in 1758 , Linnaeus wrote of “capsulas seminiferas”
(p. 643) in the “diagnosis” of this group in all the following
editions ( 1760 , 1767 ). He also divided Zoophyta-Sertularia
into two sections, one with “Ovariis distinctis et exsertis
instructae” ( 1758 , p. 807), and the second with “Ovariis non
distinctis, sed intra articulos latitantibus [hidden] (p. 814).”
Since both cheilostome and cyclostome bryozoans with
hyperstomial ovicells and gonozooids and hydroids with
swollen gonothecae were included in Sertularia, it seems it
was Linnaeus (possibly infl uenced by the works of Ellis with
whom he was in correspondence) who formally termed all
these structures as ovaries.
In his “Elenchus Zoophytorum …” Pallas ( 1766 )
expressed the view that “vesiculas” [gonozooids] known in
crisiid cyclostomes (as Cellulariae) and “bulla[e], galeae”
(helmet-shaped bubbles) [ovicells] in encrusting “ Escharas ”
might be ovaria ( 1766 , pp. 36, 60), and that “Galericulae”
(small helmets) [ovicells] in erect Bugula neritina and
B . avicularia (as Cellularia ) could be somehow related
(“subanalogae”) to them. Comparing the latter two species,
he also speculated that both ovicells (“bullulas infl atis”) and
avicularia (“galericula s. Nectarium infl ato rostratum, aviculae caput referens”) are organs of a similar nature, possibly
destined for fertilization (pp. 60, 67, 69). In describing
B. plumosa , Pallas objected to Ellis ( 1755 ), writing that the
“corpuscula neritiformia” are not the progeny of “this small
plant” (Pallas 1766 , 1787 ), but organs, possibly ovaries, and
may serve for “seminifi cationi” (p. 67) (see also Levinsen
1909 for discussion).
Ellis did not agree, however. On the one hand, he wrote in
the diagnosis of “ Flustra (The Sea Mat)” that “the ovaries
appear to be the pearl-like studs (bullulae supra cellulas)”, or
“helmet-shaped bullae, that we fi nd at the tops of the cell”
(Ellis and Solander 1786 , pp. 11, 16). Also, in the diagnosis
of “ Cellaria (Celleferous Coralline)” it is said that “the ovaries are uncertain, but most probably the little hemispherical
covers, that appear over the cells, do that offi ce” (p. 19).
Defending his initial idea, Ellis admitted that “the likeness
to Nerits of its rows of little round adhering bodies, which are
open on one side, together with their shell-like fi gure and
pearly shining look, inclined me to believe at fi rst that they
were the young ones of such a small kind of shell-fi sh. But
by comparing them with the fi gures of others of this genus,
they appear rather to be what we have called Ovaries.” But he
continued “Or perhaps they are young of the animal defended
by a testaceous covering like a little shell-fi sh, which at the
time of its maturity separates from its umbilical cord … drops
and soon adheres to a proper substance as a base, beginning
to form a Coralline like the parental animal. This seems more
probable, than to consider each of them as an ovary, which
usually contains many eggs of the same animal” (Ellis and
Solander 1786 , p. 20). Describing Bugula neritina (as
Cellaria neritina or Snail- bearing Coralline), Ellis writes that
it has “a little egg [ovicell] on the outside of each” cell [zooid]
“with an opening surrounded by a dark-colored margin”
Appendices