Light and scanning electron microscopy of sporocysts of Eurytrema coelomaticum (Giard et Billet, 1892) Looss, 1907.

Abstract

Eurytrema coelomaticum is a fluke that infects ruminants in South America, Europe and Asia. The morphology of the mother and daughter sporocysts of E. coelomaticum obtained from Bradybaena similaris, the first intermediate host, is described for the first time by light and scanning electron microscopy. The intermediate host was exposed to E. coelomaticum eggs and after 30 days the mother sporocyst was found in the coelom adhered to the intestine wall. This sporocyst was a rounded or elongated mass (0.1078 mm), with numerous germinal balls in it, and a folded tegument with no specializations. The daughter sporocysts obtained following dissection of infected snails have varied shape, one hollow tapered region with many transversal and longitudinal striations, named anterior end. The expelled daughter sporocyst presented an oval sac-like central region with a small anterior and a posterior longer filament-like prolongation. The measures of the expelled sporocysts are presented and compared to previous descriptions.