The Influence of Light on the Emergence of Schistosomatium douthitti Cercariae from Their Snail Host

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Abstract
Under normal laboratory conditions and presumably under field conditions, the cercariae emerge daily during the early evening hours. Five infected snails kept in the dark from 6 pm to 6 am. and in the light from 6 am. to 6 pm.shed almost all of their cercariae in the 6-hour period between 4 pm. and 10 pm. When the light cycle was reversed and the snails were kept in the dark from 6 am. to 6 pm.and lighted the rest of the day almost all of the cercariae emerged between 4 am. and 10 am. This reversal of the shedding cycle was complete and almost immediate following the reversal of the light cycle.
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