Larval trematodes in molluscs from Brazil: an overview and perspectives after a century of studies

Abstract

The study of larval trematodes found in molluscs in Brazil began more than a century ago and since then dozens of cercariae species and some life cycles of these parasites were described in the country. In this update, aspects related to the differential diagnosis between cercariae species with medical and veterinary importance, such as Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola hepatica, and larvae of parasites of wild animals are discussed. A taxonomic key for determination of the main larval types and their general biological characteristics are presented. Furthermore, the study of these parasites with emphasis on biodiversity, evolutionary biology and ecology, as well as their possible
use as biomarkers and biological controllers, approaches still little employed in Brazil, are discussed.