Coxal Glands

There is a pair of coxal glands, in almost all the segments in Onychophora (Peripatus). Developmentally; in every segment a hollow follicle or somite arises and in the trunk region, they become divided in dorsal and ventrolateral portions. The ventrolateral portion grows into the appendages and its cavity makes the end sac of the coxal gland. The end sac opens by a ciliated canal, the coelomostome, into acoiled excretory canal. The terminal portion of the canal is enlarged to form a vesicle or bladder. So the coxal glands are derived from coelomoducts. In arthropods there is a likeness in the formation of coxal glands from coelomoducts and the creation of gonads and their ducts.

In crustaceans they are found in third and sixth segments and they are suitably. named depending upon the site of their opening to outside. The one located at the base of the third segment opens at the base of the antenna, therefore called antennal gland. The one located in the sixth segment opens at the base of the second maxilla, and is termed as maxillary gland. Antennal gland is present in the larval forms of Ostracoda, Copepoda, Branchiopoda, Branchiura, Cirripedia and lower Malacostraca but TP the adults of these groups have maxillary glands. The adult amphipod and decapod crustaceans comprise antennal glands. Mysidacea, a primitive group of crustaceans have both of the antennal and maxillary glands functional. Most arachnids have a pair of coxal glands opening in the sixth segment, opening at the base of third pair of walking legs. In Limulus, there are four pairs of coxal glands.