Summary
The ultrastructure of the excretory bladder of the free living cercaria and metacercaria of Cercaria stunkardi is described. The bladder is lined by a single layer of large nucleated “cells” the lateral plasma membranes of which are incomplete proximally. The structure is therefore a syncytium. Microrugae on the luminal surface of the “cells” suggest uptake and the occurrence of mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes in the cytoplasm, high metabolic activity. Possible functions of the bladder epithelium and its contained secretory bodies are discussed.
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Popiel, I. The ultrastructure of the excretory bladder of the free living cercaria and metacercaria of Cercaria stunkardi Palombi, 1934 (Digenea: Opecoelidae). Z. Parasitenk. 51, 249–260 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384811
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384811