title: Light and scanning electron microscopy of the miracidium of Echinostoma paraensei (Trematoda, Echinostomatidae).
abstract: Echinostoma paraensei was described 1967 by Lie and Basch. Recently its natural definitive host, the aquatic rodent Nectomys squamipes, endemic in Brazil, was identified. As most of the echinostomatids, this species presents a zoonotic potential. The morphology and topography of the E. paraensei miracidium obtained from adult worms collected from the natural definitive host N. squamipes is described by light and electron microscopy. The arrangement and the dimensions of the epidermal plates are given. The eyespots are composed by two pairs of lenses measuring 6.03 microm. SEM observations shows that the miracidium body is covered by cilia except at the terebratorium region and the presence of alpha-tubulin in the cilia of the larvae is first recorded by immunelabeling. Nineteen papilla-like structures arranged in three axes and four groups were observed at the terebratoriun, this structure is retractable, presenting folds and a corrugated surface with profiles of cytoplasmic expansions, forming network of anatomizing folds.
authors.affiliation: Departmento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jairo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: Reinalda Marisa
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lanfredi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology*; D014200:Trematoda / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin