リュウキュウキノボリトカゲ（Ｊａｐａｌｕｒａ ｐｏｌｙｇｏｎａｔａ ｐｏｌｙｇｏｎａｔａ）口唇腺の分泌果粒の形態学的観察

Abstract

Light and electron microscopic observations were carried out on the secretory granules of the labial gland of the lizard, Japalura polygonata polygonata. The results obtained are.1) Japalura polygonata polygonata has superior and inferior labial glands, which can be described as a branched tubular type.2) The glandular cells are arranged in a layer and appear to be columnar in shape.3) The secretory granules of the superior labial gland stain intensely with naphthol yellow S and iron hematoxylin and are weakly positive with PAS and alcian blue.4) The secretory granules of the superior labial gland can be divided into two types when examined with the electron microscope. One is of moderate electron density, while the other has a moderate dense core and a narrow less dense halo. The PA-methenamine silver method shows a positive reaction which is limited to the narrow halo of the latter granule.5) The secretory granules of the inferior labial gland except those of the acini which are oriented superolaterally in the lower lip stain intensely with PAS and alcian blue, and they are also slightly positive with naphthol yellow S and iron hematoxylin.6) The secretory granules of the inferior labial gland can be classified into six types by the degree of the electron density of their core and halo. One of these types has a tripartite structure. Almost all of the secretory granules are positive for the PA-methenamine silver reaction.These findings suggest that the superior and inferior labial glands of Japalura polygonata polygonata have different characteristics from each other, because the secretory granules of the superior labial gland mainly contain protein, while those of the inferior labial gland contain mucopolysaccharides.