Two new species of xiphidiocercariae from the apple snail Pila virens in Malabar, Kerala.

Two new species of xiphidiocercariae, Cercaria sp. XIV Malabar n. sp. and Cercaria sp. XV Malabar n. sp. were recovered from the apple snail Pila virens collected from freshwater bodies in the Malabar region of Kerala. Cercaria sp. XIV Malabar n. sp. was recovered from P. virens collected from Modakkallur in Kozhikode district and Cercaria sp. XV Malabar n. sp. from the same snail species collected from Payyanur in Kannur district. Sporocysts were also recovered from the infected snail hosts. The two new species of cercariae are described in detail and compared with related species to establish their systematic position.