A metacestode is the
larval stage
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
The ...
of a
tapeworm
Eucestoda, commonly referred to as tapeworms, is the larger of the two subclasses of flatworms in the class Cestoda (the other subclass is Cestodaria). Larvae have six posterior hooks on the scolex (head), in contrast to the ten-hooked Cesto ...
, found in an
intermediate host.
It can take various forms, for example, the
hydatid cyst
Echinococcosis is a parasitic disease of tapeworms of the ''Echinococcus'' type. The two main types of the disease are ''cystic echinococcosis'' and ''alveolar echinococcosis''. Less common forms include ''polycystic echinococcosis'' and ''unic ...
, strobilocercus,
cysticercus
Cysticercus (pl. cysticerci) is a scientific name given to the young tapeworms (larvae) belonging to the genus '' Taenia''. It is a small, sac-like vesicle resembling a bladder; hence, it is also known as bladder worm. It is filled with fluid, in ...
or
cysticercoid
A cysticercoid is the larval stage of certain tapeworms, similar in appearance to a cysticercus, but having the scolex filling completely the enclosing cyst. In tapeworm infections, cysticercoids can be seen in free form as well as enclosed by cy ...
.
See also
*
Plerocercoid
''Plerocercoid'' refers to last larval form, the infective form, found in the second intermediate host of many Cestoda
Cestoda is a class of parasitic worms in the flatworm phylum (Platyhelminthes). Most of the species—and the best-known†...
References
Cestoda
Larvae
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