The Life Cycle and Biology of Opecoelus Variabilis, Sp.nov. (Digenea: Opecoelidae).

Abstract

Opecoelus variabilis, sp. nov., is described from the intestine of 17 species of Australian freshwater fish. The highly variable anatomy of this species highlights the closeness of Opecoelus and Opegaster. Opegaster is made a synonym of Opecoelus and a new diagnosis is proposed for Opecoelus. The first intermediate host of O. variabilis is the prosobranch snail Posticobia brazieri, and the second intermediate hosts are five species of atyid, palaemonid and parastacid Crustacea. Features of the life cycle are the production of daughter sporocysts by the mother sporocyst when only one-quarter of its full size, and the further development of the metacercaria in the second intermediate host after becoming infective to the definitive host.