ABSTRACT
Creep of narcotized Metridium and Calliactis body-wall at constant tensile stress has been studied quantitatively.
- It was found to be reversible, and seemed to be controlled by the mesogloea. Its course could be represented by equations of the formwhere the retardation time τ was about 1 hr. for Metridium and many hours for Calliactis.
The results can most simply be explained in terms of a cross-linked and a noncross-linked polymeric system, acting in parallel. An explanation in terms of a lattice of inextensible fibres is not satisfactory.
The results are discussed in relation to the behaviour of the animals.
