In earlier studies we have found that activation of the classical complement pathway (CCP) by the immature schistosomes involves the presence of IgG. By investigating the first step of this activation we have demonstrated in the present work that binding of C1q to schistosomula can occur by two different routes: 1) directly, by specific C1q receptors, and 2) indirectly through the IgG previously attached to Fc receptors present on the parasite surface. Only this second mechanism appears to be involved in CCP activation by schistosomula. Moreover, certain low m.w. schistosome antigens (less than 20,000), which activate CCP, also directly fixed C1q. In this case, IgG are not required for C activation. The presence of receptors for host protein, essentially in 2- to 3-hr-old schistosomula, i.e., the life stage of Schistosoma mansoni that are first in contact with the host, could be the first mechanism by which the schistosomes evade the immune attack.