Light and scanning electron microscopic observations of the eggs, daughter rediae, cercariae, and encysted metacercariae of Echinostoma trivolvis and E. caproni.

Light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to determine interspecific differences between various larval stages of 2 allopatric species of 37-collar-spined echinostomes, Echinostoma caproni and E. trivolvis. The abopercular and embryo diameters of the eggs of E. trivolvis were significantly different from those of E. caproni. The abopercular knobs of E. caproni and E. trivolvis have shallow and deep infoldings in the eggshells, respectively. Interspecific differences were noted in the tegument, tegumentary papillae, and spherical bodies around the mouth and in the papilliform process of the two rediae. The cercaria of E. caproni has one ventral tail fin-fold, whereas that of E. trivolvis has two; both species have two dorsal tail fin-folds. The outer metacercarial cyst diameter of E. caproni was significantly greater than that of E. trivolvis. E. caproni has a smoother outer cyst wall than does E. trivolvis.