Sub-family. Opisthorchiinæ, Looss, 1899.
Genus. Opisthorchis, R. Blanch., 1845.
Opisthorchiinæ with lobed testes. Laurer’s canal present. Parasitic in the bile-ducts of mammals and birds.
Opisthorchis felineus, Riv., 1885.
Syn.: Distoma conus, Gurlt, 1831 (nec Creplin, 1825); Distoma lanceolatum, v. Sieb., 1836, v. Tright, 1889 (nec Mehlis, 1825 = Fasciolo lanceolata, Rud., 1803); Distoma sibiricum, Winogr., 1892; Distoma tenuicolle, Mühl., 1896.
Fig. 152.—Egg of Opisthorchis felineus, Riv. 830/1.
This parasite is yellowish-red in the fresh condition, and almost transparent. The body is flat, with a conical neck at the level of the ventral sucker marked by a shallow constriction; this, however, is only noticeable in fresh and somewhat contracted specimens. Posteriorly to the ventral sucker the lateral borders run fairly parallel; the posterior end is either pointed or rounded off. The length and breadth vary according to the contraction, being usually 8 to 11 mm. by 1·5 to 2 mm. The suckers are about one-fifth to one-sixth of the length of the body distant from each other, and of about equal size (0·23 to 0·25 mm.). The œsophagus is hardly any longer than the pharynx, which lies close behind the oral sucker; the intestinal cæca reach almost to the posterior border and are often filled with blood. The excretory pore is at the posterior extremity, and the excretory bladder forks in front of the anterior testis. The testes in the posterior fourth of the body lie obliquely one behind the other; the anterior one has four lobes, the posterior one five lobes; the ovary is in the median line transversely, simple or slightly lobed; behind it lies the large pear- or retort-shaped receptaculum seminis and Laurer’s canal. The uterus is in the median field. The vitellaria occupy the fairly broad lateral areas, in about the central third of the body, beginning behind the ventral sucker and terminating at about the level of the ovary; the acini are small and arranged in groups of seven to eight, separated by interstices. The genital pore is close in front of the ventral sucker. The eggs are oval with sharply defined operculum at the pointed pole, 30 µ, by 11 µ.