Ascaris lumbricoides:

(Round worm)

Largest nematode causing intestinal disease.

Morphology:

1. Adults:
a) Male:
Male are shorter and have ventrally curved tail with 2 copulatory spicules. Length= 15-30cm

b) Female:
Female are longer, wider and have conical tail. Length= 25-40cm. Mid-ventrally, at the jxn of
anterior and middle 1/3rd there is vulva which is surrounded by a constriction called vulvar
waist, genital girdle. The vulva opens into vagina and vagina branches into 2 genital tubules.
The tubules are convulated ( curved around) in the posterior 2/3 rd of body. In genital
tubules, there are the eggs.

2. Egg:
A female roundworm can lay about 200,000 eggs at a time. Egg may be fertilized or unfertilized.
 If the male and female roundworm are in intestine, egg may be inseminated by male and
thus it is fertilized.
 If only female is there, it cannot be inseminated by male and the egg is thus unfertilized
 If only male is there, there is no egg at all

The fertilized and unfertilized eggs are different.