1. Plural of metacercaria; the larval stage of a parasitic trematode (flatworm) that develops in an intermediate host and is infective to the final host.
Usage: biology; parasitology; technical term

Examples

• The metacercarias of the liver fluke develop within freshwater snails.
• Fish become infected when they ingest metacercarias from contaminated water.
• Metacercarias can survive in muscle tissue for extended periods.
• The life cycle includes metacercarias as a crucial stage before infection of the definitive host.
• Researchers identified metacercarias in the tissue samples of infected fish species.