General life cycle of digenetic trematods

Always oviparous
Eggs are embryonated within 7 days under
suitable environment
The embryo is called miracidium.
Five stages of development may occur in life cycle
of digenetic trematods.
Miracidium
Sporocyst
Radia
Cercaria
Metacercaria
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 Miracidium
.It is a triangular or pyriform in shape
The anteriorend is broader & is covered with
a ciliated ectoderm

Some may contain anterior spine for boringg

of intermediate host.

Hatching of miracidium occurs by

by the
enzymatic action of itself, stimulated by light.
 Miracidium
After hatching the miracidium propelled

through the water by its cilia & moving to

find a suitable intermediate host (snail) on

the basis of chemotactic response.

This larval stage does not feed & must find a

suitable intermediate host within few hours

for its further development.

 Sporocyst
a spherical/ elongated in shape which is a
kind of living cyst contain a number of tightly
packed germinal cells, the vestigious eye &
intestine.
Growth & multiplication of germ cells causes
formation of sac like structure which contains
a germinal mass/ galls.

I t is responsible for the production of next

larval stage either daughter sporocyst or
redia.
 Cercaria
The typical cercaria has a discoidal body &
backwardly projected tail.
I t has sucker &intestine like adult, excretory
a

system, special gland & some possess anterior

spine.
After formation of cercaria, it actively emerges
from the snail.
The actual stimulus for emergence depends on
the species but is most commonly a change in
temperature or light intensity.
By using tails it propelles itselfthrough the water.
 Metacercaria
Typically the cercaria swims for some times in
water then settle in grass blades, water fruits
or penetrate the 2nd intermediate host, shed
their tails & encystment. This stage is called
metacercaria.
Encysted metacercaria have great potential for
survival extending to months. Once ingested
by definite host through herbage, water or by
the ingestion of intermediate host containing
metacercaria.
 Types of cercaria
Name Characteristics Family
Monostome Absent of ventral sucker Cyclococlidae
Notocotylidae
Amphistome ventral sucker at or very Paramphistomatida
near to the posterior e
extremities
Gymnocephal Anterior extremity is Fascioliidae
us rounded and lack of spine Heterophyidae
Opisthorchiidae
Echinostome Anterior extremíty is Echinostomatidae
provided with head collar,
coronet &headspine
 Types of cercaria
Furcocercus Tail is forked Schistosomatidae
distally .Diplostomatidae
Trigedae

Xiphidocercous Anterior extremity .Dicrocoeliidae

is provided with .Plagiorchiidae
spine or stylet

Microcercous Tail is short &stout Troglotrematidae

 Life history of digenetic trematodes
indirectinvolving one /two intermediate host,
the first being a snail.

Digenetic trematods are differing through

sequence of larval developments and also
differ markedly in the pattern of life history of
adult.
 Principle differences in the mode of larval development

1. Redia stage absent during larval development

One intermediate host: eg. Schistosomatidae.
Two intermediate host: Metacercaria are develops in the
haemocoel of ants (Formica spp.) or another
insects.eg-Dicrocoeliidae.
haemocoel or tissue of adult or larval insects.eg-
Plagiorchidae.
tissue of frog or snail.eg- Strigeidae.
tissue of rodents.eg-Alaria spp (Strigeidae).
 Principle differences in the mode of larval development

2. Redia stage is always present during development:

One intermediate host:
Metacercaria are formed on the herbage or on the water
fruits. eg- Fasciolidae, Paramphistomatidae.
Two intermediate host: Metacercaria are formed in the
i. shell of snail. eg- Notocotylidae, Cyclocoelidae.
i. tissue of snail. eg- Echinostomatidae.
ii. tissue of crustaceans. eg- Paragonimus spp.
iv. tissue of fresh water fishes. eg- Opisthorchiidae,
Heterophyidae.
v. tissue of tadpoles or adult frogs. eg- Hypoderaema
spp.
 Family: Fascioliidae
Systemic classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Platyhelminthes
Class: Trematoda
Order: Digenea
Family: Fascioliidae
Genus: Fasciolopsis
Fascioloides
Fasciola
 Specification of Fascioliidae
Genus Species Host IH Location Distribution
FascioloF.buski Man, Pig PlanorbisSmall South east
psis 30-75mmx8- planorbis intestine Asia, Asam,
20mm Hippeutis Liver Bangladesh
sp Bile duct
Fasciolo F. magna Deer, Lymnea Liver Cosmoplitan
ides 23-100x11 Cattle, sp. Lung Bangladesh
Horse, Fossaria
26mm Sheep sp.

Fasciola F. Hepatica Ruminants, Lymnea Liver Cosmoplitan

Deer, truncatula Bile duct
30mmx13mm Absent in
horse, Bangladesh
camel,
man, dog
cat

F. gigantica Ruminants Lymnea Bile duct Cosmoplitan

25-75mmx1mm auricularia
Bangladesh
Identifying characteristics of different
genus5
i. Fasciolopsis
Intestinal caeca are simple, tubular & not branched
ii. Fascioloides
Intestinal caeca are heavily branched
Vitelline glands are not extensive, internal to the
intestina caeca

ii. Fasciola
Intestinal caeca are heavily branched
Vitelline glands are extensive, external/internal to
the intestina caeca
 Morphology
Size: large from 23mm-100mm

Shape: Usually leaf shaped, some are conical

Colour: Gray brown

Cuticle: Thick, fleshy & spiny

Sucker: Two sucker, close to anterior end

Digestive system: Intestinal caeca are simple,

tubular or heavily branched
 Morphology
Reproductive system:
Gonads are at the posterior half of the body.
Ovary is lobbed or twigged
Testes are lobbed or twigged or tandem
Excretory vesicle or bladder: "Y" shape.

Cercaria:gymnocephalus type
operculated and yellow in color
Egg: large,
 Life cycle
Host Egg in faeces
26-29'C 7-14 days
Miracidium
2-3 days
Sporocyst
22-24 days
Redia Snail
36-40 days
Cercaria
3-4 days
Metacercaria
10-12 weeks

Adult