[Short Note] Cercaria meretrix n. sp., from the Hard Clam Meretrix meretrix
Jyh-Wei Shin
Department of Parasitology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan 701, R.O.C.
Chiou-Ming Wen
Department of Zoology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106, R.O.C.
Guang-Hsiung Kou
Department of Zoology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106, R.O.C.
Shiu-Nan Chen
Department of Zoology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106, R.O.C.
A new marine cercaria, Cercaria meretrix n. sp., was found in the hard clam Meretrix meretrix from a local fishing market in Wuhsi, Taichung County, Taiwan. Sporocysts were found in the foot, mantle, gonad, and digestive gland, and they elicited heavy inflammatory responses in the host. This new species is a distome, pharyngeate cercaria with a long slender, spinose tail, no eye-spot, three pairs of penetration glands, an omega-shaped ceca, and 16 flame cells. Cercariae matured in the sporocyst. Sporocysts, when found in infected hard clams, were filled with germinal balls, and developing, immature, and mature cercariae.
Keywords
Meretrix meretrix, Trematode, Marine cercaria, Sporocyst
