Abstract: The endocrine cells in the digestive tract of Oxya chinensis were identified and localized by Grimelius silver impregnation and immunohistochemical method combining with biostatistical analysis. The results showed that argyrophil cells were detected in the gastric caecum, the midgut and throughout the hindgut, but not found in the foregut by silver impregnation, with the highest density in the midgut and rectum （P<0.05）. 5-hydroxytryptaminc （5-HT）， gastrin （Gas）， glucagon （Glu）and pancreatic polypeptide （PP） cells were identified in gastric caecum, the midgut and the hindgut by immunohistochemical method, but somatostatin （SS） cells were not detected throughout the digestive tract. Both 5-HT and Gas cells are distributed in the gastric caecum, midgut and rectum with the highest density in the rectum（P<0.05）. Glu cells are distributed throughout the midgut and the hindgut, with the highest density in the midgut and rectum （P<0.05）. PP cells are distributed in the midgut, ileum and rectum with the highest density in the midgut（P<0.05）. The results indicate that there are several types of endocrine cells in the digestive tract of O. chinensis; and the distributional pattern of these cells are similar to those of other arthropods, but some unique features of the species were also found, which might be related to its special structure and physiological function of digestive tract.

Key words: Oxya chinensis, digestive tract, argyrophil cells, endocrine cells, immunohistochemistry