Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2009
A comparison is made of the variations in the mean size (length), reduced weight, oxygen uptake, metabolic rate and the number of contained fully formed metacercariae undergoing autolysis, in mature daughter sporocysts of Microphallus pygmaeus, in sea water, artificial sea water and in a chemically defined nutrient medium (modified medium 199). The work indicates that the sporocysts begin to degenerate almost immediately in the non-nutrient media but have a higher metabolic activity and remain healthy for up to 36 days in the nutrient medium.