CERCARIA MERETRIX N-SP, FROM THE HARD CLAM MERETRIX MERETRIX

A new marine cercaria, Cercaria meretrix n. sp., was found in the hard clam Meretrix meretrix from a local fishing market in Wuhsi, Taichung County, Taiwan. Sporocysts were found in the foot, mantle, gonad, and digestive gland, and they elicited heavy inflammatory responses in th e host. This new species is a distome, pharyngeate cercaria with a lon g slender, spinose tail, no eye-spot, three pairs of penetration gland s, an omega-shaped ceca, and 16 flame cells. Cercariae matured in the sporocyst. Sporocysts, when found in infected hard clams, were filled with germinal balls, and developing, immature, and mature cercariae.