The Excretory System of Nematodes: Structure and Ultrastructure of the Excretory System of Enoplus Brevis

The excretory system of the adult male and female Enoplus brevis (Bastian) consists of an excretory gland about 450 μ long. About a third of it, called the excretory duct, is narrow, and the rest, called the gland proper, is swollen. The gland duct is first embedded in the cuticle and then in the ventral hypodermal chord; finally, the duct swells into the gland proper which lies freely in the body cavity. The single nucleus of the system contains two nucleoli. Both gland and duct are full of Golgi complexes, endoplasmic reticulum, and secretory granules; a few mitochondria are also present. The structure of the gland indicates that it has a secretory function; and this would be consistent with the report that it is concerned in moulting (Davey & Kan, 1968); it is unlikely, however, that this is its sole function since it is so well developed and active in the adult.