In the holothurian,Cucumaria japonica, deep invaginations of the germinal epithelium of the testis are formed during the period of active spermatogenesis (January-February) but are reduced in prespawning animals (August). The invaginations contain basal lamina which envelope the testis and separate the haemal sinus from the gonad lumen. They are lined with germinal epithelium. Nurse cells are not present within regions of the germinal epithelium associated with invaginations of the lamina. These regions are invested by spermatogenic cells only.