Centrocestus armatus is a species of trematodes, or fluke worms, in the family Heterophyidae.
Distribution This species occurs in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Southeast Asia.
Life cycle The first intermediate hosts of Centrocestus armatus include freshwater snails Semisulcospira libertina.Paller V. G., Kimura D. & Uga S. (2007). "Infection dynamics of Centrocestus armatus cercariae (Digenea: Heterophyidae) to second intermediate fish hosts". Journal of Parasitology 93(2): 436–439. .
The second intermediate hosts include fish Nipponocypris temminkii and Zacco platypus.Komatsu S., Kimura D., Paller V. G. V. & Uga S. (2014). "Dynamics of Centrocestus armatus Transmission in Endemic River in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan". Tropical Medicine and Health 42(1): 35-42. .
The final hosts include black-crowned night heron Nycticorax nycticorax.
It may infect humans.
References
Further reading Kimura D. & Uga S. (2005). "Epidemiological study on Centrocestus armatus metacercariae in Chikusa River, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan". Tropical Medicine and Health 33:7–11. Paller V. G. V. & Uga S. (2008). "Attachment and Penetration of Centrocestus armatus (Digenea: Heterophyidae) Cercariae to Gills of Secondary Intermediate Fish Hosts". Journal of Parasitology 94(3): 578–583. .