How is the body of a tapeworm organized?
1 Answer
The body of a tapeworm is composed of successive segments called as proglottids.
Explanation:
Proglottids are of three types - immature, mature and gravid.
Each proglottid consists of a complete set of male and female reproductive organs. Fertilisation is internal. In a few species, self fertilisation between two adjacent proglottids of the same worm, or within the same proglottids may occur.
Proglottids are continually produced by the neck region of the scolex, as long as the scolex is attached and live. The proglottids farthest away from the scolex are the mature ones containing eggs. The chain of proglottids may reach a length of about 15 to 29 feet.
Mature proglottids are essentially bags of eggs, each of which is infective to the proper intermediate host. Mature proglottids are released from the tapeworm's end segment and leave the host in faeces or migrate as independent motile proglottids. This phenomenon serves to limit the length of the parasite and to transfer the developing embyo to exterior in feces of host.
