Dicrocoelium dendriticum (lancet fluke)

This fluke's life cycle is both complex and unusual. Adults are found in the bile ducts of sheep, cattle, deer, goats, pigs, rabbits and woodchucks. This trematode, unlike others studied, does not require an aquatic environment. Eggs passed out of the definitive host will be ingested by terrestrial snails. In the snail sporocysts develop and cercariae are passed out of the snail in a mucus-like substance as "slime balls." These "slime balls" will be eaten by ants, where metacercaria will develop in this second intermediate host. Eventually these ants will be ingested by animals grazing and the life cycle will have been completed.

Examine the slides of Dicrocoelium dendriticum.

Anterior end of adult (specimen 1) (UCD slide)
Posterior end of adult (specimen 1) (UCD slide)
Anterior end of adult (specimen 2) (UCD slide)
Midbody of adult (specimen 2) (UCD slide)
Anterior end of adult (specimen 2) (UCD slide)
Midbody of adult (specimen 2)(testes, ventral sucker, cirrus pouch) (UCD slide)
Midbody of adult (specimen 2) (uterus and vitellaria) (UCD slide)

LAB 3 INDEX

LAB INDEX