The morphology and behaviour of Cercaria lata Lespes, 1857 (Digenea, Faustulidae) from the Mediterranean clam Tapes decussata (L.)

Cercaria lata (Digenea, Faustulidae), discovered by Lespes (1857) in Tapes decussata (L.) in the basin of Arcachon, was found for the first time, from the eastern Mediterranean, in the same lamellibranch from Tunisia (Bizerte and Tunis lagoons and Gulf of Gabes). These cercariae develop in daughter sporocysts, which develop in mother sporocysts in the gonads. Daughter sporocysts are observed in the gonads and sometimes in the digestive gland. A redescription and the behaviour of the naturally emerging cercariae and spatio-temporal distribution of the sporocysts are reported. A comparative study using multivariate analyses associated with morphology, biology and seasonality confirm the distinctness of Cercaria lata and the cercaria of Cercaria pectinata from Donax trunculus.