Life Cycle: Their metacercariae encyst in defferent organs of fish (Scholz et al., 2001; Hicks and Steele, 2003). Several species of fish serve as second intermediate hosts for Ascocotyle species, such as
Cyprinodon variegates (Coleman, 1993).
Description:
Body thickly spinose. Oral sucker with one or two rows of spines and with a, distinct posterior muscular projection. Prepharynx long, pharynx well developed. Esophagus may or may not be present; intestinal ceca variable in length. Depression on ventral surface of body containing the genital sinus and the aeetabulum. Testes paired posteriorly. Seminal vesicle very prominent and well developed. Ovary pretesticular median or slightly to one side. Seminal receptacle large, behind or on level with ovary. Vitellaria lateral, usually postacetabular. Uterus usually confined to postacetabular region. Eggs large, operculate.
Sources:
Looss, A., 1899. Weitere Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Trematoden-fauna Aegypteus. Zool. Jber. syst. Vol. 12, p. 521-784.
Omrani, S.B., Mousavi, E.H., Sharifpour, A.I. 2009. Occurrence and histopathology of Ascocotyle tenuicollis metacercaria in gill of platyfish (Xiphophorus maculatus) imported to Iran. Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, Vol. 9, p. 472-477.
Scholz, T., Aguirre-Macedo, M.L. and Salgado-Maldonado, G., 2001. Trematodes of the family Heterophyidae (Digenea) in Mexico: a review of species and new host and geographical records. Journal of Natural History, Vol. 35, Issue 12, p. 1733-1772.
Hicks, T. and Steele, E., 2003. Histological effect of Ascocotyle tenuicollis (Digenea: Heterophyidae) metacercarial infection on the heart of Fundulus heteroclitus (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae). Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science.
Coleman FC. 1993. Morphological and physiological consequences of parasites encysted in the
bulbus arteriosus of an estuarine fish, the sheepshead minnow, Cyprinodon variegatus.
Journal of Parasitology 79: 247-254.
