Observations on the changes of the synaptonemal complex at the end of pachytene and in diplotene are reported. The synaptonemal complex disintegrates in diplotene by progressive disjoining of the lateral arms. The structures of the pairing space disappear. A residual piece of the synaptonemal complex is interpreted as a transitional stage of the process of disintegration. The lateral arms form single threads which disappear at the end of diplotene. No doubleness of the lateral arms can be detected, except a splitting in 3–4 laminae in the region near the fixation points at the nuclear envelope. The lateral arms do not separate in subunits at the end of the meiotic prophase. Chiasmata can not be recognized.