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- The trematodes or flukes are leaf shaped and covered with a resistant cuticle which may be smooth or spiny.
- There are 2 suckers or attachment organs, an anterior oral sucker and a posterior ventral sucker.
- Most trematodes are hermaphroditic and most of their body consists of the reproductive organs and their associated structures.
- Trematode eggs have a smooth hard shell and the majority of them are operculate.
- Trematodes require an intermediate host in their life cycle with vertebrates being the definitive host.
- The exception to the above are the Schistosomes which have male and female,reproduce sexually, have only 1 intermediate host and whose eggs do not have an operculum.
- The trematodes comprise the
blood flukes (schistosomes), liver flukes (Fasciola, Clonorchis, Opisthorchis,), intestinal flukes
(Fasciolopsis, Echinostoma) and lung flukes (Paragonimus)
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