CATDOLL : CATDOLL: What are the characteristics of the life history of Digenea trematodes?

Digenean trematodes belong to the Digenean subclass of the class Trematoda and the phylum Platyhelminthes. Except for a few species that parasitize mollusks and crustaceans, most of them parasitize various vertebrates and humans.

Morphological structure

The insect body is generally leaf-shaped or oval with a flat back and abdomen, and most species have two muscular suckers (oral sucker and abdominal sucker).

Life History

The development history is complex, and in addition to the definitive host, one or two intermediate hosts are required during development. The worm body develops through the following stages: egg, miracidium, sporocyst, redia, metacercaria and adult.

Hazards

Some worms use fish as their final hosts, and the adult worms harm fish (such as blood flukes and siderozoites); some use fish as intermediate hosts and harm fish (such as two-hole flukes and Chinese clonorchis).