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An electron microscopic study was performed in order to know the basic tegumental structure of sparganum, which was obtained from the subcutaneous tissue of naturally infected snakes (Matrix tigrina lateralis). Two anterior and middle portions of worm tissuses were cut, and prepared for transmission electron microscopy by conventional methods. Then the sections were examined by means of A.E.I. Corinth 500 electron microscope. General structure of the tegument of sparganum resembled that of the body wall of other cestodes on electron micrograph. The teguments both of the anterior and middle portion revealed such components, i. e., an outer vesicular layer with numerous microtriches, and inner fibrous layer. Below the fibrous layer, there were layers of muscle bundles, and tgumental cells. The surface of sparganum was covered by intermingling microtriches of two distinctly different types. But the characteristic elongated ’pyramid-shaped’ microtriches were observed mainly on the surface of anterior portion, whereas those of slender cylindrical ’filamentous form’ were distributed mainly on the surface of middle portion of the worm. The tegumental cells, which were often filled with many secretary granules, as well as the flame cell-like structures having characteristic cilia were found in the subtegumental tissue. And possible function of this larval tegument were discussed.
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