Dichelops (Diceraeus) furcatus (Fabricius, 1775)

(Figs. 26–30; Tab. 2)

Eggs barrel-shaped; light green prior to embryonic development; operculum round and convex; chorion translucent and spinose. The eclosion line is not evident under SM; the AMPs are circularly arranged in a row around the anterior pole, translucent, moderately short, and clubbed. Embryonic development has not been followed, but according to Grazia et al. (1982), the egg becomes grayish green, and the red eye spots, and the dark T-shaped eggburster become visible. Morphological aspects of the eggs of this species have been previously studied under SM by Grazia et al. (1982).

The chorion surface is densely spinose under SEM. Interconnected spines form polygonal markings at the lateral wall (Figs. 26, 28); the spines display different sizes and can be connected by a short membrane (Fig. 28). The operculum is similarly sculptured, but the spines are longer, and the polygonal markings are somewhat obliterated at the periphery (Fig. 27, 29). The eclosion line is evident as a narrow strip of very short spines inward from the AMPs (Fig. 29). The AMPs are stout and clubbed; their openings are not evident (Figs. 29, 30). Under the magnification used, the AMPs surfaces appear irregular but not spongy.