| Fasciolosis is caused by two [[Digenea|digenetic]] trematodes ''F. hepatica'' and ''F. gigantica''. Adult flukes of both species are localized in the [[bile duct]]s of the [[liver]] or [[gallbladder]]. ''F. hepatica'' measures 2 to 3 cm and has a [[cosmopolitan distribution]]. ''F. gigantica'' measures 4 to 10 cm in length and the distribution of the species is limited to the [[tropics]] and has been recorded in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and south and eastern Asia.<ref name=Torges99/> In domestic livestock in Japan, [[diploid]] (2n = 20), [[triploid]] (3n = 30) and [[Chimera (genetics)|chimeric]] flukes (2n/3n) have been described, many of which reproduce [[parthenogenesis|parthenogenetically]]. As a result of this unclear classification, flukes in Japan are normally referred to as ''Fasciola'' spp..<ref>Sakaguchi, Y., 1980. Karyotype and gametogenesis of the common liver fluke, ''Fasciola'' sp., in Japan. Jap. J. Parasitol. 29, 507–513.</ref> Recent reports based on [[Mitochondrial DNA|mitochondrial genes]] analysis has shown that Japanese ''Fasciola'' spp. is more closely related to ''F. gigantica'' than to ''F. hepatica''.<ref>Itagaki, T., Tsutsumi, K., 1998. Triploid form of ''Fasciola'' in Japan: genetic relationships between ''Fasciola hepatica'' and ''Fasciola gigantica'' determined by ITS-2 sequence of the nuclear rDNA. Int. J. Parasitol. 28, 777–781.</ref> In India, a species called ''F. jacksoni'' was described in [[elephant]]s.<ref>Singh, K.P., Srivastava, V.K., Prasad, A. and Pandey, A.P., 1994. Pathology due to ''Fasciola jacksoni'' in Indian elephants ''Elephas indicus''. Ind. J. Anim. Scien. 64, 802–804.</ref>
| | * [[Fasciola hepatica]] |