The compound eyes of the adult Drosophila melanogaster were fixed in 1.25 per cent glutaraldehyde and 1 per cent osmium tetroxide buffered with sodium cacodylate at pH 7.2. Double fixed specimens were dehydrated using the alcohol series and embedded in Epon -812. They were sectioned with porter blum and JUM 5B ultra-microtome and then stained with lead hydrooxide and uranyl. acetate. All thin sections were examined with Hitachi.HS-7 or HU-11 electron microscope.
The rhabdomere of the compound eye is composed of numerous microvilli packed, arranged, and projected from inner edge of each retinal cell. Each microvillus consisted of a: Centrum, about., 82 A in diameter, surrounded by the substances, about 105 A in width, which were bounded with double membrane about 44 A in thickness,
In each inner edge of the microvilli, there was a cylinder, about 175A in diameter, in parallel-with, retinal cells, which contained a cylindrical axis about, 583A in diameter. The surface of the outer edges of the microvilli was bounded with reticullar substances about, 500 A in thickness.
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