Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Cattle liver fluke (Dicrocoelium dendriticum). This fluke, called the lancet liver fluke, lives in a nu

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Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Cattle liver fluke (Dicrocoelium dendriticum). This fluke, called the lancet liver fluke, lives in a number of domestic animals including cattle, sheep and pigs. Spurious infections can occur in humans who have eaten infected animal liver. Two intermediate hosts, the terrestrial snail (Cionella lubrica ) and ants (Formosa spp.) are present in the completely terrestrial life cycle. Eggs are deposited in host's droppings and are ingested by terrestrial snail. Sporocysts are secreted in a mucous material that is eaten by ants. The animal host becomes infected by eating infected ants while grazing. The parasite eventually migrates into the bile duct and gall bladder. Magnification x10 when shortest axis printed at 25 millimetres.

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Size: 2646px × 3302px
Photo credit: © DENNIS KUNKEL MICROSCOPY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 22068c, animal, cattle, colored, coloured, dendriticum, dicrocoeliidae, dicrocoelium, disease, electron, false-colored, false-coloured, fluke, human, invertebrate, invertebrates, lancet, liver, mammal, micrograph, oral, parasite, parasitic, plagiorchiida, platyhelminthes, scanning, sem, sheep, sucker, trematoda, trematode