Keys to the Trematoda. Volume II (ed. Jones, A., Bray, R. A. and Gibson, D. I.), pp. 768. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International (CABI Publishing), UK and The Natural History Museum, London, UK, 2005. ISBN 0 85199 587 X. £150.00.

Extract

Trematodes (flukes or digeneans) are by far the most abundant group of parasitic flatworms (Neodermata), and their importance for human and animal health is indisputable. In addition, they exhibit a variety of unique adaptations to parasitism and, probably most remarkably, possess extraordinarily complicated life-cycles. Classification of trematodes represents a very difficult task due to the huge number of existing species and variety of morphological forms, sites of infection within invertebrate and vertebrate hosts and ability to infect a wide spectrum of animals. Therefore, identification of any trematode may represent a problem even for an experienced specialist. This is the reason why I appreciated so much the publication of the first volume of the Keys to the Trematoda in 2002.