A scanning electron microscopic study on the glochidial encystment of a freshwater clam, Anodonta arcaeformis on the host fish, Carassius auratus

Abstract

A scanning electron microscopic study on the glochidium and glochidial encystment of Anodonta arcaeformis on the host fish Carassius auratus was conducted. The shape of the glochidium was apparently subtriangular and its average size was 270 μm x 260 μm x 145 μm. The glochidial shell valves were of the same size, kept together by a ligament that is 50.4 μm in length and 5.5 μm in width. Each of the glochidial shell valve had a long hook studded with many spines on the superior face. A large area of at the apex of the valve surrounding the base of the hook was provided with numerous small spines which became progressively smaller toward the periphery of the area. The glochidial shell valve consisted of two layers. The mantle cells line the glochidial shell valves and some of hair cells were observed. A larval thread was 2.3 μm in diameter. In the artificial infection of the glochidia to one of the natural hosts, Carassius auratus, it took about three to four hours to encyst the glochidia with epithelial cells of the fish fins. The encystment method was the cell migration from the neighboring epithelial cells.