Studies on Marine Digenetic Trematodes of Puerto Rico. The Life Cycle in the Family Haplosplanchnidae

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Abstract
Evidence is presented that the larva of Haplosplanchnus acutus is a biocellate, distome cercaria with a rhabdocoele intestine and a slender tail bearing 8 pairs of lateral finger-like processes and a terminal one. The larva develops in simple sporocysts in the branchial region of Cerithium variabile and after emerging, it swims for a time and encysts in the open. Stages of development in the definitive host from still encysted metacercariae in the stomach to mature adults in the intestine were observed in natural infections of the half-beak, Hyporhampus unifasciatus. and the needle-fish. Strongylura sp. Evidence suggests that a 2d intermediate host is lacking and that instead, metacercariae in the open are ingested with vegetation by definitive hosts which for haplosplanchnids, as a rule, are herbivorous fishes. There is no evidence of close relationship of Haplosplanchnidae to any other family.
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