Summary
The tegumental ultrastructure of the cercaria of the liver fluke,Clonorchis sinensis (Cobbold, 1875), was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The body surface is almost encircled by many rows of regularly arranged spines. The tegumental syncytium of the body contains many rod-shaped dense granules and central electron-lucent bodies, neither of which are present in the tail tegument. There are four rows of hooked teeth and modified spines on the oral cone. These teeth are differentiated morphologically and probably functionally from the other body spines. Disc-shaped papillae with long or short cilia are distributed on the body in a bilaterally symmetrical pattern dorsally and ventrally. There are 30 to 37 papillae with much longer cilia laterally. Four pairs of papillae were found on the tail. From their structure and location these papillae appear to have a mainly tango-or rheoreceptive function. Another type of sheathed papillae is situated around the oral sucker. The cuticular tegument is expanded laterally at the base of the tail, forming a characteristic sac-like structure.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Belton, C.M., Harris, P.J.: Fine structure of the cuticle of the cercaria ofAcanthatrium oregonense (Macy). J. Parasitol.53, 715–724 (1967)
Bibby, M.C., Rees, G.: The ultrastructure of the epidermis and associated structures in the metacercaria, cercaria and sporocyst ofDiplostomum phoxini (Faust, 1918). Z. Parasitenkd.37, 169–186 (1971)
Bils, R.F., Martin, W.E.: Fine structure and development of the trematode integument. Trans. Am. Microsc. Soc.85, 78–88 (1966)
Dixon, K.E., Mercer, E.H.: The fine structure of the nervous system of the cercaria of the liver fluke,Fasciola hepatica L. J. Parasitol.51, 967–976 (1965)
Ebrahimzadeh, A.: Beitrag zur Feinstruktur des Teguments der Cercarien vonSchistosoma mansoni. Z. Parasitenkd.44, 117–132 (1974)
Fujino, T., Ishii, Y., Saito, S.: Studies on the cercariae of the genusMetagonimus with the scanning electron microscope (Trematoda: Heterophyidae). Jpn. J. Parasitol.25, 175–185 (1976)
Hockley, D.J.: Scanning electron microscopy ofSchistosoma mansoni cercariae. J. Parasitol.54, 1241–1243 (1968)
Hockley, D.J., McLaren, D.J.:Schistosoma mansoni: changes in the outer membrane of the tegument during development from cercaria to adult worm. Int. J. Parasitol.3, 13–25 (1973)
Ishii, Y., Miyazaki, I.: Preliminary observations on the ultrastructure of the body surface ofParagonimus cercaria. Jpn. J. Parasitol.17, 487–493 (1968)
Komiya, Y., Tajimi, T.: Study onClonorchis sinensis in the district of Shanghai. 5. The cercaria and metacercaria ofClonorchis sinesis with special reference to their excretory system. J. Shanghai Sci. Inst.4, 91–106 (1940)
Komiya, Y.:Clonorchis and clonorchiasis. Adv. Parasitol.4, 53–106 (1966)
Køie, M.: The host-parasite interface and associated structures of the cercaria and adultNeophasis lageniformis (Lebour, 1910). Ophelia12, 205–219 (1973)
Køie, M.: Stereoscan studies of cercariae, metacercariae, and adults ofCryptocotyle lingua (Creplin 1825) Fischoeder 1903 (Trematoda: Heterophyidae). J. Parasitol.63, 835–839 (1977)
Køie, M., Nansen, P., Christensen, N.Ø.: Stereoscan studies of rediae, cercariae, cysts, excysted metacercariae and migratory stages ofFasciola hepatica. Z. Parasitenkd.54, 289–297 (1977)
Lie, K.J.: Studies on Echinostomatidae (Trematoda) in Malaya. XIII. Integumentary papillae on six species of echinostome cercariae. J. Parasitol.52, 1041–1048 (1966)
Lo, S., Hall, J.E., Allender, P.A., Klainer, A.S.: Scanning electron microscopy of an opecoelid cercaria and its encystment and encapsulation in an insect host. J. Parasitol.61, 413–417 (1975)
Martin, W.E.: The life histories of some Hawaiian heterophyid trematodes. J. Parasitol.44, 311–323 (1958)
Mohandas, A.: Integumentary papillae and their taxonomic importance in cercariae. Z. Parasitenkd.35, 334–339 (1971)
Morris, G.P.: The fine, structure of the tegument and associated structures of the cercaria ofSchistosoma mansoni. Z. Parasitenkd.36, 15–31 (1971)
Nuttman, C.J.: The fine structure of ciliated nerve endings in the cercaria ofSchistosoma mansoni. J. Parasitol.57, 855–859 (1971)
Race, G.J., Martin, J.H., Moore, D.V., Larsh, J.E. Jr.: Scanning and transmission electronmicroscopy ofSchistosoma mansoni eggs, cercariae, and adults. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.20, 914–924 (1972)
Rees, G.: The ultrastructure of the epidermis of the redia and cercaria ofParorchis acanthus, Nicoll. A study by scanning and transmission electron-microscopy. Parasitology62, 479–488 (1971)
Rees, G.: The ultrastructure of the body wall and associated structures of the cercaria ofCryptocotyle lingua (Creplin) (Digenea: Heterophyidae) fromLittorina littorea (L.). Z. Parasitenkd.44, 239–265 (1974)
Richard, J., Prévot, G.: Étude comparée de la répartition des cils chez quelques espèces de Microphallidae Travassos, 1920. Z. Parasitenkd.43, 71–88 (1974)
Robson, R.T., Erasmus, D.A.: The ultrastructure, based on stereoscan observations,. of the oral sucker of the cercaria ofSchistosoma mansoni with special reference to penetration. Z. Parasitenkd.35, 76–86 (1970)
Saito, T.: Ultrastructural studies on the cercarial integument ofClonorchis sinensis (Cobbold, 1875) Looss, 1907. Jpn. J. Parasitol.26, 132–143 (1977)
Sakamoto, K., Ishii, Y.: Scanning electron microscope observations on miracidium, cercaria, and cercarial papillar patterns ofSchistosoma japonicum. J. Parasitol.64, 59–68 (1978)
Short, R.B., Cartrett, M.L.: Argentophilic ‘papillae’ ofSchistosoma mansoni cercariae. J. Parasitol.59, 1041–1059 (1973)
Smith, J.H., Reynolds, E.S., Lichtenberg, F. von: The integument ofSchistosoma mansoni. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.18, 28–49 (1969)
Southgate, V.R.: Observations on the fine structure of the cercaria ofNotocotylus attenuatus and formation of the cyst wall of the metacercaria. Z. Zellforsch.120, 420–449 (1971)
Yamaguti, S.: Über die Cercarie vonClonorchis sinensis (Cobbold). Z. Parasitenkd.8, 183–187 (1936)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported in part by a Scientific Grant (No. 037036) from the Ministry of Education, Japan
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fujino, T., Ishii, Y. & Choi, D.W. The ultrastructural characterization of the tegument ofClonorchis sinensis (Cobbold, 1875) cercaria. Z. Parasitenkd. 60, 65–76 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00928972
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00928972