THE RELATION BETWEEN RATE OF LOCOMOTION AND FORM IN AMBA PROTEUS

¹ DEPARTMENT OF ZOÖLOGY, THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

The rate of locomotion in Amba Proteus is highest in monopodal and lowest in multipodal specimens. The average rates obtained for 20 specimens in .001N sodium chloride was 278 micra per minute for monopodal forms, 260 micra per minute for irregular monopodal forms, 125 micra per minute for multipodal forms, and 211 micra per minute for an average of all forms.

The variation in rate is least for monopodal ambæ and greatest for multipodal ambæ.

The rate of locomotion of any single individual over a seven-minute period is least variable for monopodal specimens and most variable for multipodal specimens.

The rhythmicity of locomotion in Amba proteus observed by Schwitalla (1924) is largely due to change in form, the rate increasing as the amba becomes more nearly monopodal and decreasing as it becomes more irregular in form.