Scanning electron microscopy of cercariae, metacercariae and adults of Pygidiopsis ardeae Køie, 1990 (Digenea, Heterophyidae).

The penetration apparatus of the cercaria of Pygidiopsis ardeae Køie, 1990 (Heterophyidae) is provided with five large preoral hooklets. Various types of presumably sensory structures surround the small oral aperture. Small, pointed spines protrude throughout the cercarial body. After parasite penetration and encystment in the fish intermediate host, the metacercarial tegument increases its absorptive area by developing irregular projections. Concurrently the pointed spines become scale-like and serrated. The tegumental outgrowths appear to have regressed in infective metacercariae. The external surface of mature worms removed from the intestine of domestic chickens does not differ from that of infective excysted metacercariae. Adults taken from experimentally infected chickens were identical to specimens obtained from naturally infected herons.