Fasciola

parasitic flatworm in mammal livers

taxon in the invertebrate family Fasciolidae

Fasciola, commonly known as the liver fluke, is a genus of parasitic trematodes. There are three species within the genus Fasciola: Fasciola nyanzae, Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica are known to form hybrids. Both F. hepatica and F. gigantica and their hybrids infect the liver tissue of a wide variety of mammals, including humans, in a condition known as fascioliasis. F. hepatica measures up to 30 mm by 15 mm, while F. gigantica measures up to 75 mm by 15 mm. Fasciola nyanzae is thought to exclusively infect the common hippopotam