Question

Metacercaria of liver fluke is

• A. Free swimming stage
• B. Encysted stage
• C. Nonencysted nonmotile stage
• D. Free-floating stage

Answer 1

The correct option is B Encysted stage

Fasciola parasites develop into adult flukes in the bile ducts of infected mammals, which pass immature Fasciola eggs in their feces. After several weeks the eggs hatch producing a parasite form known as the miracidium, which then infects a snail host. The miracidium is a free-swimming ciliated larva. Under optimal conditions, miracidia develop into sporocysts, radiae, and cercariae. cercariae are then shed in the water around the snail. The cercariae lose their tails when they encyst as metacercariae on water plants. In contrast to cercariae, metacercariae have a hard outer cyst wall and can survive for prolonged periods in wet environments. So, option B is correct.