cercaria

American  

[ser-kair-ee-uh] / sərˈkɛər i ə /

noun

Zoology.

plural

cercariae

1. the disk-shaped larva of flukes of the class Trematoda, having a taillike appendage.

---

cercaria British  

/ səˈkɛərɪə /

noun

1. one of the larval forms of trematode worms. It has a short forked tail and resembles an immature adult

---

Other Word Forms

• cercarial adjective
• cercarian adjective
• pseudocercaria noun

Etymology

Origin of cercaria

1830–40; < New Latin, equivalent to cerc- (< Greek kérkos tail) + -āria -aria

Example Sentences

The period of development varies from ten to twenty weeks; each sporocyst may give rise to from five to eight redia and each redia to from twelve to twenty cercaria.

From Common Diseases of Farm Animals by Craig, R. A., D. V. M.

The daughter redia or cercaria, as they are now termed, leave the body of the snail and finally become encysted on the stems of grass, cresses and weeds.

From Common Diseases of Farm Animals by Craig, R. A., D. V. M.