HPTLC DETERMINATION OF NEUTRAL LIPIDS IN ECHINOSTOMA-CAPRONI, ECHINOSTOMA-TRIVOLVIS, AND ZYGOCOTYLE LUNATA (PLATYHELMINTHES, TREMATODA)

High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) has been used to de termine chemotaxonomic differences between the neutral lipid content o f three trematode species: Echinostoma caproni, Echinostoma trivolvis, and Zygocotyle lunata. Visual observations of the chromatograms showe d some differences between both the major and minor neutral lipids pre sent in the adults of these worms. Densitometric quantitative analysis showed significant differences between the triacylglycerol content of E. caproni and Z. lunata, and between that of E. caproni and E. trivo lvis, but not between the sterol content of any of the species. TLC ca n be used to distinguish chemotaxonomic differences between trematode species.