The Marine, Dermatitis-Producing Cercaria of Austrobilharzia variglandis in California (Trematoda: Schistosomatidae)

Abstract

The species is reported from California for the first time and is implicated as a cause of schistosome dermatitis in San Francisco Bay. Some observations are made on behavior and morphology, including critical measurements. The snail host is Nassarium obsoletus, which is believed to have been introduced from the Atlantic. Thirty schistosome infections were recorded from 3852 snails, but none of these infections occurred in those snails (1724) measuring less than 20 mm in length.