Repeated exposure with the same light intensity identified possible variation in cercarial emergence and
metacercarial (encysted larvae) formation over time, and the significant difference was statistically calculated.
Ukoli, "On the life history, growth and development from the
metacercarial stage to adulthood, of Clinostomum tilapiae Ukoli, 1966," Journal of Helminthology, vol.
Effect of infection by the
metacercarial trematode Renicola roscovita on growth in intertidal blue mussel Mytilus edulis.
They observed seasonal trends in which
metacercarial density increased into fall and dropped over winter and into spring.
Geographical variation in
metacercarial infection levels in marine invertebrate hosts: parasite species character versus local factors.
In fact, known peaks in
metacercarial encystment match this seasonal variation in forage availability and feeding behavior (Lepitzki 1998).
Metacercarial cysts were collected from the abdominal tissues that cover the insides of the dorsal carapace and hepatopancreas.
Metacercarial distribution of Centrocestus formosanus among fish hosts in the Guadalupe River drainage of Texas.
Mohamed, "Use of enzyme activities as biomarkers for oxidative stress induced by
metacercarial affections in some cultured tilapia species," Life Science Journal, vol.
Specific identification was confirmed by morphologic appearance of adult worms recovered from hamsters (Figure) and PCR and sequence analysis of the partial
metacercarial CO1 gene, amplified by CO1-OV-Hap-F&R primers (7).
In addition, some studies showed an increase in the prevalence and mean intensity of
metacercarial infection among larger snails (Morley, Lewis & Adam, 2004; Flores, Semenas & Veleizan, 2010).
Clarias gariepinus plays a notably important role in the life cycles of digenean parasites in the Okavango Delta, as it acts as a definitive host for adults of four species, and as a second intermediate host to two
metacercarial trematodes.