A parasitic disease known as Schistosomiasis is caused by several species of flatworms in the phylum Platyhelminthes. The life cycle includes an aquatic snail where the larvae develop; these larvae then hatch into the water and swim around until they find the appropriate vertebrate host. Adult males and females reproduce sexually in the vertebrate host, and eggs are usually shed into water via feces or urine. The snail would be considered a(n) __________.

Question

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The snail in the life cycle of Schistosomiasis acts as an intermediate host because it is the host in which the larvae develop before infecting the final vertebrate host.

A Parasitic Disease Known as Schistosomiasis Is Caused by Several