The morphology and life history Of Echinochasmus bagulai Verma, 1935 (Trematoda : Echinostomatidae) with ecological observations on its larval forms

Abstract

Preliminary and fairly detailed examination of the predominant molluscs of the mudflat at Pamban for metacercariae (cysts) and cercariae revealed the occurrence of an echinostome cercaria in Natica marochiensis Gmelin, which bore striking resemblances, chiefly in the number, arrangement of the collar spines and in the nature of the excretory vesicle to the metacercarial cysts which I have come across in the bivalve Katelysia opima Gmelin. This casual (discovery led to the study of its life history by undertaking feeding experiments. A similar method was employed by Beaver (1941) and Yamaguti (1951) in tracing the life histories of Echinochasmus donaldsoni and Echinochasmus japonicus respectively.