[Scanning electron microscopic observations on larvae and young adults of Angiostrongylus cantonensis]

Scanning electron microscopic observations on the structure of the body surface of various larval stages and young adults of Angiostrongylus cantonensis were made. The mouth opening of the first and second stage larvae closes in "Y" form until well developed young adult stage. There are two rows of 6 sensory papillae each around the mouth. With development of the worm, the papillae of the outer row gradually degenerated and could hardly be seen in adult worms. A pair of amphidial pores was present on the external side of lateral papillae of the inner row, being conspicuous in the fourth-stage larvae. There was one excretory pore on the ventral side of the anterior end. The copulatory bursa of the male worms began to develop in the third stage larvae and became well developed in the 25-day young adults. The processes of the development of copulatory bursa were described. The gonopore could be seen in the female worm as early as in the first-stage larvae but the anal pore appeared only in the fourth-stage larvae, both of them did not develop completely until the young adult stage of 11 day old (Figs. 1-18).