Cercarial Emergence from Rediae in California Snail Tissues

Abstract

Rediae from Cerithidea californica snails collected at Point Mugu, CA, yield pleurolophocercous, furcocercous, and xiphidio cercariae. Pleurolophocercous and xiphidio cercariae emerge one at a time from rediae and never tail first. Furcocercous cercariae, on the other hand emerge in multiple numbers and either tail or head first. The pleurolophocercous cercariae collected in this study probably represent either Ascocotyle sexidigita, or A. (Phagicola) diminuta, both of which have been excysted from metacercarial cysts in Fundulus parvipinnis collected at the same site.