Studies on Dracunculus medinensis (Linnaeus) III. Structure of the Phasmids in the First-Stage Larva

Abstract

The phasmids of the first-stage larva of Dracunculus medinensis were paired, each consisting of a single cell with a lumen connected to the exterior by a closable duct. The cell consisted of an outer region filled with mitochondria and an inner region consisting of endoplasmic reticulum bordering the lumen, whose inner surfaces was supported by a fibrillar framework. There were a pair of cilia projecting into the lumen of each cell and two nerve bundles at the base in direct continuity with a branch of the lateral nerve. The lumen of the phasmidial cell contained acid mucopolysaccharides and esterases.