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The effects of exposure of juvenile Lymnaea stagnalis to one, two or, four miracidia of Trichobilharzia ocellata on the following parameters were studied: infection rate, length of prepatent period, production of cercariae, growth and ovipository activity of the snails, and the weights of their accessory sex organs. An infection rate of 100% was established with all miracidial doses. Morality of the snails was low in all experimental groups. In cercarial production high-(HP) and low-productive (LP) infections could be distinguished. An increase in miracidial dose at exposure results in an increase in the number of snails with HP-infections and decreases the length of the prepatent period of these infections. Snails with HP-infections grow faster than controls after day 14 post-exposure and show giant growth, while the accessory sex organs remain very small. The snails show hardly any ovipository activity. In all snails with HP-infections these effects are observed independent of the miracidial dose at exposure. Snails with LP-infections demonstrate no signs of gigantism, their accessory sex organs are almost identical to those of controls, and the snails show ovipository activity. It is concluded that the occurrence of HP- and LP-infections indicates differences in reproductive capacity of the parasite. HP-infections can only develop when the parasites can adjust the host to their requirements at an early stage of the infection.

The formation of the final cercarial tegument of Schistosoma mansoni is preceded by that of a so-called primitive epithelium. The primitive epithelium is derived from the tegument of the daughter sporocyst. The final cercarial tegument is formed from peripherally located somatic cells of the cercarial embryo, which expand and coalesce beneath the primitive epithelium. The primitive epithelium degenerates and disappears. The ultrastructure of both epithelia in the course of the development of the cercaria is described in detail. Possible functions are discussed.

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The development of the mother sporocyst and the differentiation of the daughter sporocyst of Schistosoma mansoni in Biomphalaria pfeifferi are described. The tegumental structure of the mother sporocyst, consisting of an outer layer connected to internally situated nucleated cell bodies, forms extensions which enwrap the germinal cells. The parenchyma cells, in which the germinal cells were embedded before, degenerate. When daughter sporocyst embryos develop from germinal cells they are enveloped by a primitive epithelium which is formed by fusion of the extensions of the tegumental structure of the mother sporocyst. Somatic cells located peripherally in the developing daughter sporocyst expand and coalesce beneath the primitive epithelium to form the future outer layer of the tegumental structure of the daughter sporocyst. The primitive epithelium degenerates, the newly-formed layer looses its nuclei, and becomes connected to internally situated nucleated cell bodies. Further developments in the tegumental structure of the daughter sporocyst include the formation of microvillus-like projections, a surface coat, spines, and a basement membrane.