BIOLOGY 012: ANIMAL BIOLOGY

PHYLUM: NEMATODA (ROUND WORMS)

General Characteristics

 These are the roundworms. Their body is unsegmented, bilaterally

symmetrical, elongated and tapered at both ends.
 There are both parasitic (pinworms, whipworms, hookworms, filarial worms
e.t.c) and free living species. The parasitic species infect both plants and
animals.
 Their body is covered by a thick collagenous cuticle.
 Nematodes moult (just like arthropods).
 Most nematodes have separate male (which are smaller than the females) and
female individuals, so they practise sexual reproduction and the females lay the
eggs after mating and fertilisation.
 Their digestive system starts with the mouth which may contain a stylet for
thrusting into a prey. The mouth opens into the pharynx which is joined
directly to the intestine (no stomach). Located after the intestine is the rectum
and finally, the anus.
 Respiration and removal of nitrogenous wastes are through the body surface.
 The nervous system is quite primitive with four nerves running down their
body. The bodies of nematodes are covered in numerous sensory bristles (hairs)
which provide a sense of touch.

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 Pharynx
Intestine
Mouth

Testis

Genital papilla
Genital pore

Ovary

Anus
Rectum

Figure 1: Diagram of a male and female nematode showing their features.

PHYLUM: PLATYHELMINTHES (FLATWORMS)

General characteristics

 They have a soft, unsegmented, bilaterally symmetrical, dorsoventrally

flattened body, hence they are called flatworms.
 They are mostly parasitic (tapeworms and flukes), with a few free-living
species which are mainly scavengers or predators.
 They do not have a body cavity (coelom) and are acoelomate.
 The digestive system is incomplete or absent. There is a single opening
(mouth) which leads to a well developed gastrovascular cavity where
digestion occurs. The anus is absent (in flukes they are present as excretory
pores), faeces are passed back through the mouth. There is no true stomach
structure. In a few species, the digestive system is completely absent.
 Respiratory and circulatory systems are absent. Respiration generally occurs
by diffusion through the general body surface.

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  They have flame cells which function as kidneys in removal of wastes and
osmoregulation.
 Flatworms have a very simple nervous system with two nerve cords running
down either side of their body. Two simple brains called ganglia are present.
They also have two eyespots that help them sense light.
 Flatworms are generally hermaphrodites. They reproduce both sexually and
asexually using three methods: self fertilisation, fission and sexually by
mating and exchanging sperm. Fertilisation is internal after which the eggs
are laid.
 The life cycle of flatworms can be complex, especially if they are parasitic, as
this may involve one or more host animals.

Rostellum
Head (Scolex)
Hooks

Scolex of the
Scolex of the
cow tapeworm
pig tapeworm
Suckers

Proglottids

Figure 2: Diagram of the cow and pig tapeworms showing their external features.

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 Mouth

Oral sucker

Genital pore

Ventral sucker

Excretory pore

Figure 3: External features of the liver fluke