GENERAL ZOOLOGY LABORATORY

EXERCISE 7
ASCHELMINTHES
Parasitic diseases are one of the major health problems in the world. According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), the lack of sanitation, poor education, and poverty has led to the increase of
their prevalence especially in developing countries. Severity of these parasites ranges from minimal to
life-threatening. Infections caused by Ascaris led to nutritional loss among children in developing
countries. Parasites can be transmitted via direct contact from a carrier or through a biological vector.
Several parasites have the ability to produce either cysts or eggs. Cysts are forms that are resistant to the
environment allowing the parasites to survive during unfavorable conditions. Eggs are also resistant to
environmental changes but they get their protection from a thick protective coat. Studying life cycles of
several human parasites has led to an advance in control and prevention of the infections.

Objective/s:
• Identify and distinguish between the different kinds of common intestinal parasites.
• Identify and distinguish between the different larval stages of certain parasites.
• Familiarize with the morphological characteristics of the common intestinal parasites.

MATERIALS:

Dissecting kit
1. Parasite representative from FEU stockroom/museum
2. Microscopy (LPO): Prepared slides
• Necator americanus
• Ancyclostoma duodenale
• Trichuris trichiura
• Enterobius vermicularis
• Ascaris lumbricoides

Procedure:
1. Draw the parasite that you were able to obtain from the FEU stockroom/museum. Label
prominent external features.
• Note the differences in the structure, size, and length
2. Draw the egg of the parasites listed above. Take note their differences in terms of size, length,
and appearance on the spaces provided in the laboratory sheet. Label prominent external
features.
3. Draw the developmental stages of each parasite and label the different parts.

Answer the following questions (do not exceed on the line provided for your answer):
• What are the two types of Ascaris egg? Differentiate one from the other.
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• What is the role of the embryonated egg in the life cycle of Ascaris?
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• What is the characteristic feature of hookworm eggs?

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• By means of a word diagram, describe the life cycle of an Ascaris.

Guide Questions (for discussion)

1. Explain why a single Ascaris adult infection can cause fatal sequences.
2. Describe the method of attachment of the worm in their habitat in the definitive host.
3. Why is it important to determine the worm burden in hookworm infections?
4. How is autoinfection in Enterobiasis brought about?
5. What organ systems are repeated in each segment of an annelid?
6. How exactly do the three main classes of annelids DIFFER from each other?
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Drawing/s:

Magnification: ____________ Magnification: ____________

Magnification: ____________ Magnification: ____________

Drawings (prepared slides- LPO):

 GENERAL ZOOLOGY LABORATORY

Drawing/s: