Abstract

A scanning electron microscopic study on the glochidium and glchidial encystment of Anodonta grandis on the guppy was conducted. The shape of the glochidium is apparently triangular and its averge size is 0.45mm X0.4mm when closed, The two glochidial shell valves are of the same size, kept together by a ligament of 120<TEX>${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$</TEX> in length and 7 <TEX>${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$</TEX> in width. Each of the glochidial shell valves has a 16 <TEX>${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$</TEX> long hook sitdded with many spines on the superior face. A large area to the apex of the valve surrounding the base of the hook is provided with numerous small spines which become progressively smaller towards the periphery of the area, The external surface of the glochidial shell valve is covered with numerous small processes showing successive change in the shape and the pattern of destribution by part. Besides the processes, there are a number of niches scattered all over the exterior surface. The glochidial shell valve has two layers. One is the outer thin membrane bearing the processes and the niches and the others is the inner layer bearing numerous holes which any accessory structure and 2.65 <TEX>${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$</TEX> in diameter, emerges from a canal located at center of ventral plate of the mamtle, A total of three types of the hair cells are observed. In present artificial infection of the glochidium to the guppy, it took about three to four hours to complete an early cysts, During the period of encystment, The epithelial cells of the host fish actively migrated toward the attached glochidium and covered it.