Fasciolidae is a family of trematodes and includes several parasites involved in the veterinary and medical sciences, which cause the disease Fasciolosis. Fasciolidae is divided into five genera by Olson et al. 2003. The family's various species are localised in liver, gall bladder, and intestine. Their life-cycle includes an intermediate host, freshwater snails from the family Lymnaeidae.[1]

Fasciolidae
Fasciola hepatica - adult worm
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Platyhelminthes
Class: Trematoda
Order: Plagiorchiida
Suborder: Echinostomata
Superfamily: Echinostomatoidea
Family: Fasciolidae
Railliet, 1895

Morphology

edit

Adult trematodes of Fasciolidae range in length from 2 cm, for species of Parafasciolopsis, and 10 cm, for species such as Fasciola gigantica. The oral and ventral suckers are usually located. the cercariae are of a gymnocephalic shape.[2]

Systematics within family

edit

According to Olson et al. 2003 [3] the family has five genera:

References

edit
  1. ^ Jurášek, V., Dubinský, P., 1993. Veterinárna parazitológia. Príroda a.s., Bratislava, 382 pp.
  2. ^ Pybus, M.J., 2001. Liver flukes. In: Samuel, W.M., Pybus, M.J., Kocan, A.A. (eds.), Parasitic diseases in wild mammals, Iowa State Press, Iowa City, pp 121–149.
  3. ^ Olson, P.D., Cribb, T.H., Tkach, V.V., Bray, R.A., Littlewood, D.T.J., 2003. Phylogeny and classification of the Digenea (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda)1. Int. J. Parasitol. 22, 733-755.