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PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT SHEET – 16

BIOLOGY – ANIMAL KINGDOM
Phylum Aschelminthes
IMPORTANT POINTS ON ASCARIS
• Ascaris lumbricoides, the common roundworm belong to the class Rhabditea of the phylum
Nemathelminthes.
• Most common endoparasite in the small intestine of human beings.
• It is monogenetic, i.e., without any secondary host. The worm is more common in children.
• In Ascaris à Sexes are separate with sexual dimorphism.
• Male is smaller than female with curved tail, two penial setae (copulatory organs) and cloaca.
• Female is with straight posterior end of the body and posterior transverse anus and separate
gonopore situated ventrally 1/3 from the anterior end.
• The excretory pore is situated mid-ventrally, a little behind the mouth.
• Ventral surface of male bears fifty pairs preanal and five pairs postanal papillae. These sensory
papillae are absent in female.
• Mouth both in male and female is terminal, triradiate surrounded by three denticulate lips. One
median dorsal and two ventrolateral.
• Dorsal lip bears two sensory double papillae (tangoreceptors). Both sensory papillae and amphids
(chemoreceptors) are present on ventrolateral lips.
• Cuticle is thick which is protects the body of the parasite from mechanical injury and also is resistant
to action of digestive enzymes of the host. The epidermis is syncytial (coenocytic) with scattered
nuclei and without partition walls.
• There is no alimentary canal and digestive gland. The parasite absorbs digested food of the host so
their is no need of digestive organs.
• Absorption occurs through the general body surface.
• Salivary glands do not occurs in Ascaris.
• Respiratory system is absent, respiration is anaerobic.
• Excretory system is H-shaped. It is consists of a single excretory cell or renette cell. Excretory
products are ammonia and urea.
• Ascaris is dioecious or unisexual. Testes is single and median, so male Ascaris is monarchic
(monodelphic).
• Only anterior part of testis is functional, so testis (also ovary) is telogonic.
• Female Ascaris has paired ovaries so female Ascaris is didelphic.
• Copulation occurs in the intestine of host.
• The egg is mammilated, oval, m-shape with three protective covering

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• Embryonic development takes place only outside the body of human host in soil because it requires
low temperature, more oxygen and suitable moisture.
• Inside the shell the zygote develops into rhabditiform larva or first stage juvenile in 10-14 days.
• The larva of first stage is not infective . It rests for a week and completes first moult within egg and
becomes second stage rhabditiform larva which is infective.
• The transmission of infective stage through embryonated egg takes place by contaminated food and
water.
• The embryonated egg passes into the intestine of man and second stage larva hatches out from the
egg.
• In lungs, larva complete its second and third moulting (becomes third and fourth stage
larva). In small intestine it completes fourth or final moulting and becomes fifth stage
of larva.
• Duration of wandering journey from intestine to intestine is about three weeks. Within 8-10 weeks
adult Ascaris starts reproduction.
• Aberrant migration is the migration of ascaris from lungs to brain, spinal cord, eyes, etc.
• Ascaris is pathogenic. It cause the disease, ascariasis. Most pathogenic larva of Ascaris is fourth stage
in larva.
• Main symptoms of ascariasis are – abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and colic pain.
• Toxin produced by Ascaris may interfere with protein digestion.
• Ascariasis can be treated by antihelminthetic drugs such as oil of Chenopodium, Santonin, Antipar,
Tetrachloroethylene, Alcopar, Decaris, Diethylcarbamazine, etc.

INFORMATION ON OTHER IMPORTANT ROUND WORMS

• Ancylostoma duodenale à It is an endoparasite of human small intestine. The parasite is

monogenetic. It is popularly called old world hookworm. Adults live in the intestine of man and feed
upon blood. No secondary host. Juveniles penetrate through the skin of hand and feet. It causes
‘Ancylostomiasis’.
• Wuchereria bancrofti à It is a digenetic parasite. Human being are primary host while female
mosquito mostly of culex and Aedes species is the secondary or intermediate host. Adults live in
human lymph vessel and lymph glands. It is a viviparous nematode, larvae called ‘microfilaria.
Larvae appear in cutaneous blood (superficial blood) in midnight. They block lymph glands and
lymph vessels, swell body parts like arms, scrotum and mammary glands. This results in the disease
‘Elephantiasis’ or ‘Filariasis’
• Enterobius Vermicularis (Pin worm) à This worm inhabits human caecum, colon, appendix
and rectum. It is monogenetic, no intermediate host. Eggs contain rhabditiform larva. It cause
‘Oxyurasis’, the main symptom being itching of anal parts.

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• Dracunculus medinensis à It is a digenetic endoparasite with man being the primary
host and cyclops as the secondary or intermediate host. It is also called ‘Fiery serpent’. The adult
worms occur in the subcutaneous tissue, especially of arms, shoulders and legs, forming blisters.
Female is very long while male is short. The guinea worm disease has been eradicated from India.
• Loa loa (Eye worm) à It is a filarial roundworm of central and western Africa. The adult
migrates through the subdermal connective tissues of human host. Sometimes they pass across the
eyeball. Local swelling accompanies these migrations. Tabanid flies act as transmitting vectors.

IMPORTANT MEMBERS

Ascaris – Common roundworm

Ancylostoma – Hookworm
Necator – Hookworm
Wuchereria – Filarial worm
Enterobius – Pinworm
Trichuris – Whipworm
Dracunculus – Guinea worm
Loa loa – Eye worm
Strongyloides – Thread worm

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