[Comparative studies on the ultrastructure, homology and analogy of egg envelopes in trematodes and cestodes]

The origin, differentiation and functional ultrastructure of egg envelopes surrounding developing and mature miracidia of Schistosoma mansoni and that of developing and mature coracidia of Bothriocephalus clavibothrium have been examined by means of electron microscopy and cytochemistry. Results obtained on these two species were compared with data from our previous studies on the ultrastructure of egg envelopes in different cyclophyllidean (Hymenolepididae, Taeniidae, Anoplocephalidae, Davaineidae) and proteocephalidean cestodes. In the mature infective egg, the three main egg envelopes (the egg-shell, and the outer and inner envelope) that surround the larvae (miracidia of Digenea, coracidia of Pseudophyllidea, and hexacanths of Cyclophyllidea and Proteocephalidea), show evident similarities in their origin, functional ultrastructure and chemical composition. Conclusions of this comparison, concerning analogy and homology in egg envelopes of trematodes and cestodes, are drawn and discussed.