title: Scanning electron microscopy of the tegumental surface of digenetic trematode Stephanostomum egypticum from the Red Sea fishes.
abstract: Surface topography of Stephanostomum egypticum (Ramadan, 1983) is described by Scanning electron microscope, revealed three morphologically different types of spines; forty flattened circum-oral spines arranged in 2 circular rows; forty longitudinal rows of highly projecting thick spines covering area between oral and ventral suckers and rather flattened and sporadic tegumental spines covering the body posterior to the ventral sucker. High magnification showed the spines either single or double pointed with the first type most common. The present study revealed the presence of four types of sensory papillae: domed around the suckers, small button-like aggregated on the ventral sucker and near the bases of the spines; short and long ciliated ones near the posterior extremity of the fluke. High magnification of tegumental surface showed it to be covered with several bleb-like structures. The functions of all these tegumental structures were speculated and discussed was given.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Abdou
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ashour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005399:Fishes / Q000469:parasitology*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D014200:Trematoda / Q000648:ultrastructure*