ECHINOSTOMATIDAE
Another group of trematodes parasitic in the small intestine of cats are the Echinostomatids. Echinostomes are characterized by the possession of a group of large spines around the oral sucker. Several genera have been reported from cats. Typically, animals become infected with Echinostomes by the ingestion of fish containing metacercariae.
A number of genera have been reported from cats: Echinochasmus, Episthmium, Stephanoprora, Artyfechinostomum, Isthmiophora, and Echinoparyphium. Echinochasmus, Episthmium and Stephanoprora are similar in that the collar spines, a single row, tend to be interrupted dorsally behind the mouth. Artyfechinostomum, Isthmiophora, and Echinoparyphium have a double row of spines around the mouth that is not interrupted dorsally. The first three genera tend to utilize fish intermediate host while the latter three species utilize snails and frogs. The only species that is a parasite commonly isolated from cats is Echinochasmusperfoliatus which is found in cats in Eurasia and North Africa.