At this stage, it is known as the oocyst.

Most other species that also lack both of these structures have a differently shaped oocyst.

The oocyst is passed through the faeces completing the life cycle.

Neither a residuum or micropyle is present in the oocyst.

A distinct convex micropyle is usually present at one end of the oocyst.

Each oocyst produces a small ciliated larva which makes its way to another star.

The ookinte is now known as an oocyst.

Immature sporozoites break through the oocyst wall into the haemolymph.

On release from the oocyst the sporokinetes migrate throughout the body of the mite.

This cell membrane becomes folded and the nuclei sink in (the oocyst stage).

The oocyst has numerous sporocysts each with two sporozoites.

The oocyst absorbs nourishment and grow in size.

The nucleus of oocyst divides repeatedly to form large number of daughter nuclei.

The oocyst is somewhat unusual with a double layered wall which surrounds up to 18 sporocysts.

At time of excretion, the immature oocyst contains usually one sporoblast (more rarely two).

Once this is complete the oocyst itself undergoes lysis releasing the sporocysts into the environment.

It produces polysporocystic oocysts without a resistant oocyst wall.

Another problem is that even with a microscope, it is not possible to reliably tell when the oocyst is dead.

If the "raw" water has more than one oocyst per liter, then "finished" tap water must be tested.

The ookinete penetrates an intestinal cell of the fly and matures into an oocyst.

Gametes are formed and fuse forming an oocyst.

The oocyst undergoes meiosis and then mitosis producing numerous sporozoites.

No oocyst wall is formed.

The Cryptosporidium spore phase (oocyst) can survive for lengthy periods outside a host.