Question

Each egg of the sheep liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, may hatch into a ciliated larval form called a __________________________. If the environmental conditions are appropriate, these larvae swim about in search of an intermediate host, which is a _____________________________. Then they burrow in, undergo asexual reproduction, and eventually exit their host as tadpole-like fluke larvae called ______________________________.

a) Miracidium, snail, cercaria.
b) Sporocyst, fish, metacercaria.
c) Redia, crab, redia.
d) Cercaria, mammal, sporocyst.

Answer 1

The correct answer to the student's question is: a) Miracidium, snail, cercaria. The miracidium hatches from the egg and seeks a snail to continue its life cycle, eventually developing into cercariae.

Step-by-step explanation:

Each egg of the sheep liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, may hatch into a ciliated larval form called a miracidium. If the environmental conditions are appropriate, these larvae swim about in search of an intermediate host, which is a snail. Then they burrow in, undergo asexual reproduction, and eventually exit their host as tadpole-like fluke larvae called cercariae. Therefore, the correct answer is: a) Miracidium, snail, cercaria.