Surface ultrastructure of the plagiorchid trematode Glossidium pedatum Looss, 1899 from bagrid fish in Egypt

The present study concerned the morphology and surface ultrastructure of a plagiorchid, Glossidium pedatum, from bagrid fish of the river Nile in Egypt. Adult G. pedatum have an elongate body, tapered towards the anterior and posterior ends. Their oral sucker is small, sub‐terminal and rounded, measuring 0.200 mm in diameter. Sensory papillae around the oral sucker usually occur in small clusters of three to eight each. The ventral sucker is large, situated at the anterior end of the second third of the body, 0.299 mm in diameter, and is surrounded by three pairs of sensory papillae. Both suckers have rounded rims covered by tegumental spines. On the anterior part of the ventral surface of the body tegumental spines are small, pointed and closely spaced. A small triangular area of tegument anterior to the ventral sucker is devoid of spines. Tegumental spines on the mid‐region of the body slightly increase in size and number, especially towards the lateral aspects and posterior to the ventral sucker. Towards the posterior end of the body the spines progressively decrease in both size and number. The dorsal side exhibits similar surface features but the spines are less numerous and slightly smaller.