Digenetic Flukes [Digenea]
Description
The Digenetic Flukes, or Digenea, is the largest order of trematodes, encompassing a wide variety of species with complex life cycles typically involving two or more hosts. The primary host is usually a vertebrate, where the adult fluke resides, and the intermediate host is often a snail, where larval development occurs. Some species also involve additional intermediate hosts, such as fish or crustaceans. Marine representatives of this order are diverse, parasitizing a wide range of hosts, including fish, turtles, and marine mammals. These flukes are characterized by having two suckers, an oral and a ventral, and their life cycles often involve significant morphological changes between larval stages.