LAB

3 ANIMAL DIVERSITY II:ASSORTED WORMS

INTRODUCTION
Members of the phyla Platyhelminthes,
Nematoda, and Rotifera have a vermiform
(wormlike shape) and are the first in this manual
to have a third layer of cells (the mesoderm)
instead of just the epidermis and gastrodermis
as in cnidarians. The mesoderm produces
muscular layers, an excretory system, and an
elaborate reproductive system. The nematodes
and rotifers, along with some other minor phyla,
are sometimes referred to as the "aschelminths."
The platyhelminths and aschelminths have
bilateral symmetry (Box A.2) and meet the
environment in a more aggressive, head-on
fashion than the radiate animals. Cephalization,
a specialization of the anterior end of the animal,
can be seen in the clustering of sensory
structures and clumps of nerves (ganglia or
"brains") in the head region. Many of the
elaborations you will see are related to increases
in mobility, higher activity, and general increase
in responsiveness of the animals.
The body cavities of these and
succeeding phyla have become more complex
through the addition of specialized internal
organs. The fluid in the body cavity may act as a
hydrostatic skeleton, a site for the collection of
wastes or gametes, and/or as a primitive
circulatory
system.
Flatworms
(Phylum
Platyhelminthes) have their body cavities
loosely filled with cells and are said to exhibit
an acoelomate body plan (Box 3.1). The
aschelminth phyla, however, have a fluid-filled
cavity and a pseudo-coelomate body plan.

EXERCISE 3.1. Phylum Platyhelminthes: An

Acoelomate Body Plan.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Prepared Slides:
Class Turbellaria: Dugesia (wm with
gastrovascular cavity stained; cross
sections of three body regions).
Class Trematoda: Chinese liver fluke (wm,
Opisthorchis sinensis = Clonorchis
sinensis).
Class Cestoda: tapeworm cross sections
(Taenia or Taeniarhynchus sp.).
Living Material:
Class Turbellaria: Planarians (Dugesia sp.):
Two vials, one labeled "Fed Planarians,"
the other "Nonfed Planarians," each filled
with fresh springwater. Remove the nonfed
planarians from access to food for several
days. Small pieces of fresh liver or boiled
egg yolks can be used to observe feeding.
Compound and dissecting microscopes, eye
droppers, watch glass, dissecting needles.
Demonstration Material:
Class Turbellaria: preserved specimens.
Class
Trematoda:
slide
set
fluke
development (stages of Figure 3.4), sheep
liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica), and blood
flukes (such as Schistosoma mansoni).
Class Cestoda: preserved mature tapeworms
and examples from their life cycles.
Other Pseudocoels: Gastrotrichs (live or
slides).

Platyhelminths are commonly known as

"flatworms," owing to their almost paper-thin
structure. Their digestive system (if present) is
incomplete, and they possess only a mouth.
Flame cells are often present as part of an
osmoregulatory system, and all members have a
spongy body structure (an acoelomate body
plan). Three classes will be covered in this
laboratory. Members of one class (the
turbellaria) are free-living, while the other two
classes (trematoda and cestoda) are obligate
parasites.
PROCEDURE:
1. Class Turbellaria: External Structure. In
this exercise you will examine a planarian
(Dugesia) as an example of the Class
Turbellaria. Like most members of this class,
planarians are aquatic (the majority, however,
are marine, rather than freshwater, as is your
organism). Planarians are found in clean
streams, ponds, and lakes (usually under rocks).
Obtain a whole mount of Dugesia (stained to
emphasize the gastrovascular cavity) and focus
under scan power (or use a dissecting
microscope if your specimen is too large).
Examine your specimen and attempt to identify
the structures indicated in Figure 3.1. The
digestive system consists of a blind gut, with the
mouth located at the tip of a muscular pharynx.
This trunklike organ can be retracted into a
buccal cavity when the animal is not feeding.
The pharynx leads to three branches of the
gastrovascular cavity (one directed anteriorly,
the other two posteriorly). Small tributaries
(diverticula)
branch
from
the
main
gastrovascular cavity and carry nutrients directly
to cells at the periphery of the animal. Note that
the digestive system is incomplete (there is no
anus). An excretory system functions mainly in
osmoregulation and may be barely visible if you
carefully adjust your illumination. Find the
eyespots and auricles at the anterior end of your
specimen. The eyespots provide the planarian
only the direction of an illumination source, not
an image. Planarians typically use this
information to avoid light (they are negatively
phototactic). The auricles are also sensory
structures, providing touch, taste, and a sense of
gravity. Unless your specimen is specially
stained to demonstrate the nervous system, the

brain (or ganglion) and nerve cord will probably

not be visible. Make a sketch of your specimen
and label it in the space provided in the Results
Section. Examine the demonstration material for
other members of this class.
2. Class Turbellaria: Internal Structure.
Examine a slide with cross sections through the
anterior, posterior, and pharyngeal regions of a
planarian (all three sections are usually located
on the same slide, one above the other). Locate
the section cut through the pharynx under scan,
and then examine under low and high power.
Identify the structures shown in Figure 3.2.
Diverticula can be differentiated from the main
branches of the gastrovascular cavity by their
smaller size and location. Now turn your
attention to the sections through the anterior
(with one branch of the gastrovascular cavity)
and posterior (two branches) sections. Diagram
and label their structures using Figure 3.2 as a
guide. Use your lecture text to determine the
general functions for each labeled structure.
3. Class Turbellaria: Examination of a Living
Planarian. Work in groups of two for this
section. Wash and rinse a watch glass and then
use an eye dropper to gently transfer a planarian
to the bottom of the container (remove your
animal from the container labeled "nonfed").
Use a dissecting microscope or hand lens to
observe the behavior of your specimen (record
your observations in the Results Section). How
does your specimen appear to move? Use a
dissecting needle and gently touch your
specimen. Compare the responses of the animal
when touched at the posterior end versus a light
touch on the auricle. What do you conclude from
the animal's response? If you flip your specimen
over, does it right itself? Cover half of the watch
glass with a card, and then illuminate your
animal from above. Describe the orientation of
the animal to the level of illumination (does it
move straight toward the preferred illumination,
or does it take a meandering route?). Remove
the light barrier and introduce a small piece of
rinsed raw liver (or egg yolk) to the side of the
arena opposite the planarian. Describe the route
taken by the planarian toward the food source.
What type of movements does the head make?
What do you think is the significance of these
head movements? Describe the planarian's initial
feeding (or that of another group's organism if
yours did not feed). Return your animal to the

container marked "Fed Planarians."

BOX 3.1 BODY PLANS IN HIGHER ANIMALS

Cnidarians are composed of only two cellular layers, an outer epidermis and an inner
gastrodermis. In cnidarians these cell layers are thin and the animals are therefore very fragile.
Animals above the cnidarians on the evolutionary tree (Appendix A, Figure A.1) have three
layers of cells. Each layer gives rise to specific structures within the organism. The ectodermis is
responsible for the production of much of the sensory system and surface skin (among other
things), while the endoderm contributes to the growth of structures such as the lining of the gut.
The third cell layer lies between the ectoderm and endoderm and is called the mesoderm). This
third layer is used to build muscular, excretory, and reproductive systems. The mesoderm thus
allows animals to become more organized in their structure. Cnidarians, for example, are
organized mainly at the level of tissues, while those with three layers possess organs and
elaborate organ systems.
There are three ways bodies can be organized around the cellular layers. The simplest
organization (seen in the flatworms) is the acoelomate body plan. In these animals the body
cavity is loosely filled with mesodermal cells called parenchyme. The pseudocoelomate body
plan has a fluid-filled cavity called the pseudocoelom. Members of the aschelminth phyla are
pseudocoelomate in structure. The final organizational level (seen in annelids and all other phyla
above the aschelminths) is the coelomate body plan. Coelomates have the body cavity (the
coelom) lined with mesodermal tissue (the peritoneum). The peritoneum surrounds all organs in
the body cavity. In some coelomates the coelom may be present only in larval stages or may be
greatly reduced.

C
B
F

A
G

H
I
A) GASTROVASCULAR CAVITY

D) AURICLE

G) NERVE CORD

B) BUCCAL CAVITY

E) BRAIN

H) PHARYNIX

C) DIVERTICULUM

F) EYESPOT

I) EXCRETORY SYSTEM

FIGURE 3.1. STRUCTURE OF A TURBELLARIAN (Dugesia sp.).

D
B

A
A

A) DIVERTICULUM

F) GLANDULAR TISSUE

K) LUMEN OF PHARYNX

B) EPIDERMIS

G) LONGITUDINAL MUSCLE

L) NERVE CORD

C) GASTROVASCULAR CAVITY

H) ADHESIVE GLAND

M) VERTICAL MUSCLE

D) BUCCAL CAVITY

I) PARENCHYMA

E) CIRCULAR MUSCLE

J) CILIA

FIGURE 3.2. TYPICAL CROSS SECTION THROUGH THE PHARYNGEAL REGION OF A

TURBELLARIAN (Dugesia sp.).

A
B

I
J

C
K
L
D

F
G

M
N

A) ORAL SUCKER
B) ESOPHAGUS
C) INTESTINE
D) UTERUS
E) YOLK GLAND
F) YOLK GLAND DUCT
G) VASA EFFERENTIA
H) TESTES
I) PHARYNX
J) BRAIN
K) VENTRAL SUCKER
L) SEMINAL VESICLE
M) OVARY
N) SEMINAL
RECEPTACLE
O) EXCRETORY
BLADDER
P) EXCRETORY
PORE

O
P

FIGURE 3.3. MAJOR ORGANS AND

SYSTEMS IN AN ADULT CHINESE LIVER FLUKE
(Opisthorchis sinensis).

G
F
A) ADULT
B) EGGS
C) MIRACIDIUM
D) SPOROCYST

E) REDIA
F) CERCARIA
G) METACERCARIA

FIGURE 3.4. PARASITIC LIFE CYCLE OF THE CHINESE LIVER FLUKE. The adults live in the
bile ducts of the primary host (human). Two intermediate hosts are infected by larvae: snails (the first
intermediate host) and fish (second intermediate host).
4. Class Trematoda: General Structure of a Fluke. Examine a whole mount of the Chinese liver fluke
Opisthorchis sinensis (may be labeled "Clonorchis sinensis") under scanning power (Figure 3.3). Adult
liver flukes live in the small bile ducts of the liver in man (the primary or definitive host; all members of
this class are parasitic). They make their livings in these ducts by sucking the host's blood. It's a dirty job,
but someone has to do it. They may persist for many years causing anemia and blockage of the ducts.
Like Dugesia, the liver fluke is monoecious and has male and female reproductive systems.
5. Class Trematoda: Parasitic Life Cycle. Obtain a slide set illustrating the life cycle of the Chinese liver
fluke. Examine the slides under the appropriate magnification while referring to Figure 3.4. Eggs pass out
with the primary host's feces and eventually contaminate water, where they are ingested by snails (the
first intermediate host). The eggs hatch within the snail's gut and develop into miracidia that burrow
into the walls of the snail's digestive tract. Within these tissues the miracidium is transformed into a
sporocyst. The sporcyst develops internal chambers; and, within each chamber, a redia develops
asexually. Each of the redia is also chambered and asexually produces a number of internalized cercaria.
The cercaria have finished their development within the first intermediate host, so they then burrow out of
the snail and become free-swimming. Thus, if a single miracidium is ingested by a snail, several hundred
cercaria can be liberated. The cercaria then seek out a second intermediate host (a fish) and burrow
through the fish's skin. Once in the fish's muscles they lose their tails and encyst (the encysted form is
called a metacercaria). When raw or poorly cooked fish is eaten the young flukes are released from their
cysts by digestive juices in the stomach. Once out of the stomach they make their way up the common
bile duct to the liver where they attach and suck the host's blood. In some areas of China the incidence of
parasitism in man is close to 100%. What adaptations can you list for the liver fluke's parasitic lifestyle?
Do you like sushi?

A
B

C
E

J
K
L

I
A) HOOKS ON SCOLEX

F) NERVE CORD

K) OVARY

B) SUCKERS

G) TESTES

L) YOLK GLAND

C) YOUNG PROGLOTTIDS

H) SPERM DUCT

M) UTERUS WITH EGGS

D) GENITAL PORE

I) VAGINA

E) EXCRETORY CANAL

J) UTERUS

FIGURE 3.5. MAJOR ORGANS AND EXTERNAL STRUCTURES ALONG THE LENGTH OF A
TAPEWORM (CLASS CESTODA).
6. Class Trematoda: Other Parasites of Man and
Domestic Animals. Examine the demonstrations
of other trematode parasites. You may see the
sheep liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) and a
blood fluke (such as Schistosoma mansoni). The
life cycle for the sheep liver fluke is similar to
that described for the Chinese liver fluke. Blood
flukes are responsible for one of the most
common and devastating of human parasitic
diseases (schistosomiasis). Unlike most of the
trematodes, Schistosoma are dioecious, and
males and females enjoy an easy life of almost
continuous copulation within the host's
circulation (the female fits in a groove in the
side of the male). Eggs break out of the
circulatory system and enter the intestine where
they contaminate the feces. The resulting larvae
infect the intermediate host (a particular species
of snail) and undergo maturation. When the
larvae leave the snail they enter the primary host
by burrowing through the skin. Once in the
circulatory system they finish their development
in the heart and lungs (often doing extensive

damage) before setting up residence in the host's

intestinal veins.
7. Class Cestoda: Tapeworm Structure and Life
Cycle. Examine a slide with whole mount
sections of a tapeworm (such as Taenia or
Taeniarhynchus sp.). Since a mature tapeworm
can be very long (some species as much as 40
feet), slide preparations usually have four
representative body sections rather than an entire
animal. Focus as necessary to identify the
structures depicted in Figure 3.5. The smallest of
the sections is the head end (or scolex) of the
animal. The scolex hangs on to the inner walls
of the host's intestine with a combination of
hooks and suckers. Tapeworms completely lack
a digestive tract, and unlike the flukes do not
suck the host's body fluids (instead, they feed by
absorbing predigested nutrients from the host's
gut.)1 For this reason tapeworms often have only
minor physiological effects on the host. Body
sections called proglottids bud off from a neck
region at the base of the head. As the proglottids

A) TRIRADIATE
B) LATERAL
C) INTESTINE

PHARYNIX
LINE

D
D) VAGINA
E) THREE LIPS
F) EXCRETORY

PORE

G) OVIDUCT
H) UTERUS
I) OVARY

FIGURE 3.6. ANATOMY OF A FEMALE NEMATODE, Ascaris lumbricoides.

mature they move away from the scolex
(therefore those at the head end are immature
while older segments are located near the end of
the tail). Each proglottid contains a complete set
of male and female reproductive organs (and
little else). Examine the demonstration material
showing the remaining stages of a tapeworm life
cycle.
Using
the
beef
tapeworm
(Taeniarhynchus saginatus) as an example,
fertilization occurs in an infected human's
intestines. The terminal (mature) proglottids
containing fertilized eggs break off and are
eliminated with the host's feces. If cattle or
sheep ingests the contaminated feces (both are
possible intermediate hosts), they develop into
oconosphere larvae. The oconospheres burrow
into the animal's circulatory system and are
eventually deposited in the cow's skeletal
muscles where they encyst into bladder worms
(cysticercus larvae). If insufficiently cooked

meat infected with bladder worms ("measly"

beef) is ingested, the bladder worms emerge,
attach to the host's intestines, and develop into
mature tapeworms. Other species commonly
used in general biology laboratories include the
pork tape worm (Taenia solium) and cat or dog
tapeworm (Taenia pisiformis).
8.
Other
Psudocoelomates:
Phylum
Gastrotricha. Gastrotrichs belong to a small
phylum of less than 500 species. They are freeliving vermiform animals with ciliated bellies
("gastro" = belly, "trich" = hair or spine).
Gastrotrichs are indiscriminate feeders, that suck
up dead or living organisms with a pumping
pharynx that leads to a complete digestive
system. They are found in both freshwater and
marine habitats. Examine the gastrotrichs on
display. If living animals are available, note their
gliding motion as they "walk" on their ciliated
bellies.

A) DORSAL NERVE
CORD
B) OVIDUCTS

C) UTERUS WITH
EGGS
D) OVARIES
E) VENTRAL NERVE
CORD
F) LONGITUDINAL
MUSCLES

G) LATERAL LINE
H) INTESTINE

I) CUTICLE WITH
UNDERLYING
HYPODERMIS

D
E

FIGURE 3.7. CROSS SECTION THROUGH THE MIDSECTION OF A FEMALE

Ascaris lumbricoides, A PARASITIC NEMATODE.
EXERCISE 3.2 The Aschelminth Phyla.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Prepared Slides:
Phylum Nematoda: female (cs Ascaris
lumbricoides).
Examples
of
other
nematodes:
hookworms
(Necator
americanus),
pinworms
(Enterobius
vermicularis), and encysted Trichinella
spiralis.
Phylum Rotifera: Philodina sp.
Living Material:
Phylum Nematoda: vinegar eels (Turbatrix
aceti).
Phylum Rotifer: Philodina sp.
Dissection Specimens:
Phylum Nematoda: Ascaris lumbricoides.
Preserved Demonstration Material:
Phylum Nematoda: Intestines of domestic
animals opened to show nematode parasites.
Compound and dissecting microscopes,
dissecting pans, pins, dissecting needles,
scissors, forceps, slides, cover slips, and
ProtoSlo.
The aschelminths are an assemblage of
separate
phyla
with
some
common

characteristics. All are pseudocoelomates, have

an external cuticle and various specializations of
the anterior end (especially the pharynx).
Ciliation is reduced or absent, and most have a
complete digestive tract. At one time the
aschelminths were grouped together as a single
phylum (Phylum Aschelminthes), but they are
now recognized as being separate phyla.
PROCEDURE:
1. Phylum Nematoda: Major Internal
Structures. Members of the Phylum Nematoda
are commonly known as "roundworms." Most
are free-living and can be found in nearly any
habitat (from rotting fruit to arctic soils). Some
members of this phylum are parasitic, and these
have given the phylum a lot of bad press, since
they are the animals usually covered. Ascaris
lumbricoides is one of the best known of the
parasitic nematodes. Males and females live in
the intestines of humans where they graze on
intestinal contents. Eggs pass out with the feces
and, if they contaminate food, are introduced to
another host. The larvae hatch out in the
intestine of the new host and then burrow
through the walls to be carried by the
bloodstream to the lungs. At the lungs they

burrow through the alveoli and crawl up the

trachea and down the esophagus. Larvae usually
burrow out of the lungs at night and are
unknowingly swallowed by the host.
Occasionally larvae get lost and crawl up the
esophagus and exit at the nose. In some areas of
the world Ascaris is so common that a child is
not considered to be part of the tribe until a larva
is sneezed out and found in the bed.
CAUTION: Ascaris lumbricoides eggs are
resistant to chemical treatment. Although it's
unlikely, some eggs may survive immersion in
preservatives for short periods. For this
reason you should keep your hands away
from your mouth and nose while performing
this dissection. Wash your hands afterward.
Use forceps to remove an Ascaris from
its storage jar. Examine the ends of your animal
under a magnifying glass or dissecting
microscope and identify the three anterior lips
(Figure 3.6). Pin your animal to one side of a
dissecting pan (not in the center, or else you may
not be able to view it under a dissecting
microscope). Use a dissecting needle to gently
tear the animal open along its length (they'll
"unzip"; you don't need to use a scalpel or
scissors). Don't go too deep or you may destroy
the underlying organs. Place pins along the
animal's length to hold the body cavity (a
pseudocoelom) open and expose the organ
systems. The internal organs of preserved
Ascaris are very delicate. Be gentle when
moving them or they'll tear loose. Locate the
complete digestive system starting with a
muscular triradiate pharynx, followed by a
thin, ribbonlike intestine and terminated by the
slitlike anus (Figure 3.6). Use scissors to snip
through the pharynx at its approximate
midpoint. Carefully lift the exposed end to
observe the Y-shaped opening at the center of
the pharynx. This structure increases the
suctioning efficiency of the pharynx (Ascaris
drink fluids in their host's intestines). Excretory
canals (lateral lines) pick up cellular waste and
excrete it to the outside at excretory pores
(located at the anterior end of the animal; you
probably won't be able to find these). All other
structures are related to reproduction. The larger
animals with the straight tails are females. The
thin ones with hooked tails are males. Identify

the sex of your specimen. One of your neighbors

should have an animal of the opposite sex (trade
with them after you are finished with your
dissection so that you see both a male and
female).
Female Ascaris lumbricoides: Locate the
genital pore, a slitlike opening about a third
of the way down from the anterior end and
connected to a short vagina (you may find it
easier to locate the vagina inside the animal,
and then look on the outside for the genital
pore). The vagina leads to a pair of uteri. At
the end of each uterine segment, a thin
oviduct can be seen, followed by the
threadlike ovaries (ovaries are the thinnest of
the two threads). Eggs are produced by
meiosis within the ovaries. They then move
along the oviducts to the uterus. While some
maturation of the eggs occurs within the
oviducts, fertilization takes place in the uterus.
Trade with a neighbor if you've not seen a
male.
Male Ascaris lumbricoides: The anus serves
as both the excretory and reproductive pore.
The copulatory spicule (a hooklike
appendage used to hold the female's genital
pore open) should be seen near the edge of the
anus (if not, apply a little pressure with a blunt
probe to the male's posterior to extrude and
expose the spicule). Locate the intestine. At
the posterior end of the intestine you'll find a
branch. The area below the branch is the
cloaca (connected to the anus on the outside).
The cloaca serves as a common collecting area
for fecal material from the intestine and
spermatozoa from the seminal vesicle (the
thick organ connected to the intestine at the
cloaca). A short ejaculatory duct is located at
the end of the seminal vesicle (at the point
where it joins the cloaca). The relatively thick
tubes attached to the seminal vesicle are the
vas deferens. The finest of the threads are the
testes. Sperm are produced in the testis and
they mature as they move along the vas
deferens to the seminal vesicle. During
copulation, the sperm enter the cloaca by way
of the ejaculatory duct before being deposited
in the female. Nematode sperm are unusual
because they are amoeboid (not flagellated).
Diagram and label the male reproductive
system as seen in your specimen (Results
Section).

2. Microscopic Structure of a Nematode (Ascaris

lumbricoides). Examine a cross section of a
female Ascaris under scan and low power
(Figure 3.7). The cuticle is resistant to intestinal
enzymes and is deposited by the underlying
hypodermis.
Muscles
are
arranged
longitudinally (they run along the long axis of
the body). The absence of circular muscles is
partly responsible for the undulatory movements
that are characteristic of nematodes. Also note
the lateral lines and their close association with
the pseudocoelom. Except for the intestine,
most of the pseudocoelom is occupied by
reproductive structures. The uteri are easily
recognized because they're filled with eggs.
Oviducts can be distinguished from ovaries by
the presence of an open canal at the center.
3. Examination of a Free-living Nematode.
Remove vinegar eels (Turbatrix aceti) from their
culture vial and transfer them to a slide with the
supplied dropper. Put a cover slip on the slide
and observe under scan and low power. Vinegar
eels are not parasitic. Describe their motion in
the Results Section.
4. Phylum Nematoda: Examination of
Demonstration Material. If other nematodes
(preserved, living, or prepared as slides) are
available on demonstration, examine these
additional specimens and record their structure.
Intestines of domestic animals infested with
nematodes and prepared slides of hookworms
(Necator americanus), pinworms (Enterobius
vermicularis), and encysted whipworms
(Trichinella spiralis) may be seen. Hookworm
infections can be extremely dangerous (these
animals feed on the intestinal walls), while that
of the pinworm is mostly an annoyance to
parents of young children. Adult whipworms
live in the intestinal walls, and their larvae are
carried through the circulatory system to skeletal
muscles. There the larvae encyst (heavy
infestations cause muscle pain and flu-like

symptoms we call trichinosis). If the infected

meat is eaten, the larvae are passed on to a new
host.
5. Phylum Rotifera. Members of the Phylum
Rotifera are small ciliated organisms found
mainly in freshwater. Prepare a wet mount of
living rotifers and examine under low and high
power (Figure 3.8). If your animals move too
quickly, apply a drop of Protoslo to the slide.
Observe and record their crawling locomotion,
swimming, telescoping movements, and the
activity of the cilia at the anterior end of the
animal. The ciliated wheel organ (corona) is
characteristic of this phylum and is used both as
a locomotory and feeding device. Small
organisms are trapped in the currents and
funneled into the muscular pharynx (or mastax;
note the "chewing" motions of this structure).
From the mastax, food is passed on to a
prominent stomach, a short intestine, and then
the cloaca. Much of the remainder of the
pseudocoelom is occupied by the ovaries. In
some species, only females are present and
reproduction is through the process of
parthenogenesis. Other species have diminutive
males found during only part of the year. The
other structures are best observed from a
prepared slide. Retractor muscles along the
longitudinal axis are responsible for the
telescoping motions you should have seen in the
living animal. Cement glands near the posterior
produce an adhesive to attach the animal to a
substratum by its foot.
6. Other Aschelminths. Members of other
pseudocoelomate phyla may be on display.
Examine these specimens as required by your
instructor. Possible phyla include
Nematomorpha ("horsehair worms"; adults are
free-living, but the larvae are parasitic on
arthropods), and Phylum Acanthocephala (the
"spiny-headed worms"; internal parasites of
vertebrates).

A) CORONA

B) ANTENNA

B
C

G
H

C) PHARYNX
D) STOMACH

E) INTESTINE
F) CLOACA
G) MOUTH

H) MUSCLE
I) OVARY
J) CEMENT
GLAND

F
J

K) FOOT

Figure 3.8. MAJOR ORGANS THAT CAN BE SEEN IN WHEEL ANIMALS (PHYLUM
ROTIFERA). Some structures are best viewed with prepared slides, others in living specimens.

REPORT SECTION _________________________ __________________

Lab 3

(Name)

(Date/ Lab Section)

RESULTSANDDISCUSSION

EXERCISE 3.1. Phylum Platyhelminthes: An Acoelomate Body Plan. Class

Turbellaria:ExternalStructure.MakesketchesofyourDugesiaandlabelthem.
For the internal structures, diagram and label cross sections through the
anteriorandposteriorregionsofaplanarian.
ExternalStructure
ofaPlanarian

AnteriorSection
PosteriorSection
ofaPlanarian
ofaPlanarian

ClassTurbellaria:ExaminationofaLivingPlanarian.Describethelocomotion
ofyourspecimen:___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Comparetheresponsetoalighttouchattheposteriorandanteriorends:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Describethemethodusedbytheplanariantorightitselfwhenturnedover:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Whatwastheresponseofyouranimaltodifferentialillumination?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Describethemovementsoftheheadwhileyouranimalsearchesforfood.What
doyouthinkmightbethefunctionalsignificanceofthesemovements?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Describefeedingbytheplanarian:__________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

ClassTrematoda:ParasiticLifeCycle. Whatmodificationsdidyouseeinthe
adultflukethatareprobablyadaptationstoitsparasiticlifestyle?Include
adaptationsofboththeadultandlarvalstagesandexplainyouranswer.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
EXERCISE3.2TheAschelminths.
PhylumNematoda:MajorInternalStructures.MakeadiagramofamaleAscaris
lumbricoidesandlabelit.

ExaminationofaFreelivingNematode.Describethemotionofavinegareel
(Turbatrixaceti).Howisthismovementexplainedbythearrangementof
musclesintheworm?
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
PhylumRotifera.Describethecrawlinglocomotion,swimming,telescoping
movementsandactivityoftheciliainalivingrotifer:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Other Aschelminths. If other aschelminth phyla were on demonstration, make
sketchesordiagramsinthefollowingspaces.
Phylum:___________Phylum:___________Phylum:___________
Species:__________Species:__________Species:__________
Mag.:_____________Mag.:_____________Mag.:_____________