1 of 135

Integrated Principles of Zoology

Eighteenth Edition

Chapter 14

© 2020 McGraw Hill. All rights reserved. Authorized only for instructor use in the classroom.

No reproduction or further distribution permitted without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill.

Because learning changes everything.®

2 of 135

Xenacoelomorpha, Platyzoa and Mesozoa

©age fotostock/Alamy

© McGraw Hill

2

3 of 135

Getting Ahead

Radially symmetrical cnidarians and ctenophores can snare prey from any direction but cannot chase prey efficiently.

Animals that actively seek food, shelter, and reproductive mates require directed movements most effectively achieved by elongated bodies that have a head and tail or bilateral symmetry.

Cephalization is the concentration of sense organs in the head region.

© McGraw Hill

3

4 of 135

Body Cavities

Most metazoans have triploblastic bodies—have ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm layers that produce all body structures.

    • Coelomate—have body cavity that develops entirely from the mesoderm.
    • Acoelomate—have no coelom but have digestive cavity.
      • Region between epidermis and digestive cavity filled with parenchyma.
    • Pseudocoelomate—has internal body cavity surrounding the gut but not completely lined with mesoderm.
      • Psuedocoel may be filled with fluid or gelatinous matrix.

© McGraw Hill

4

5 of 135

Body Plans

Figure 14.1 Acoelomate, pseudocoelomate, and coelomate body plans.

© McGraw Hill

5

6 of 135

Phylum Xenacoelomorpha

This is a new phylum.

Two sister clades are found in this phylum:

    • Xenoturbellida.
    • Acoelomorpha.

© McGraw Hill

6

7 of 135

Xenoturbellids

Wormlike, ciliated animals.

Two furrows.

    • Ring furrow: external, ciliated.
    • Side furrow: longitudinal.

Xenoturbella is the lone genus.

    • Six species.

© McGraw Hill

7

8 of 135

Xenoturbella profunda

©2015 MBARI

© McGraw Hill

8

9 of 135

Features of Xenoturbella

Thick epidermis.

Subepidermal nerve net.

Frontal pore.

Ventral glandular network of unknown function.

Circular and longitudinal muscles.

Ventral mouth.

Blind gut.

Direct development.

© McGraw Hill

9

10 of 135

Acoelomorpha

Small flat worms less than 5 mm in length.

Typically live in marine sediments; few are pelagic and some live in brackish water.

Mostly free-living but some are symbiotic and a few are parasitic; almost 350 species.

Members were formerly in Class Turbellaria within phylum Platyhelminthes.

Have cellular ciliated epidermis with parenchyma layer that has small amounts of ECM and circular, longitudinal, and diagonal muscles.

© McGraw Hill

10

11 of 135

Acoelomorph Worms

Figure 14.3 Acoelomorph worms, Waminoa sp., on a bubble coral, Plerogyra sinuosa.

©L. Newman & A. Flowers/Science Source

© McGraw Hill

11

12 of 135

Digestion in Acoelomorphs

Some have digestive system with mouth leading to tube-like pharynx followed by a sac-like gut, but no anus.

Many acoelomorphs have no gut and the pharynx is absent.

    • Mouth leads into either an endodermally derived mass of cells or syncytial mass.
    • Phagocytotic cells digest food intracellularly when food is passed into these temporary spaces.

© McGraw Hill

12

13 of 135

Structure of an Acoelomorph

Figure 14.4 (A) Generalized acoelomorph flatworm. (B) Midsagittal section showing gut cavity filled with endodermal cells.

© McGraw Hill

13

14 of 135

Reproduction in Acoelomorphs

Acoelomorphs are monoecious.

Female reproductive organs produces yolk-filled eggs called endolecithal eggs.

Following fertilization some or all cleavage events produce a duet-spiral pattern of new cells which may be one of the defining morphological feature of acoelomorphs.

© McGraw Hill

14

15 of 135

Features of Acoelomorphs

Have other defining features proposed for acoelomorphs.

    • Biochemical patterns of neurotransmitters.
    • Cellular ultrastructure such as formation of a network of interconnecting rootlets from epidermal cilia.

Have distinct anteroposterior axis, but lack a “true” brain.

Have a radial arrangement of nerves in body, not the ladder-like pattern seen in Platyhelminthes.

Statocysts have different structures than Platyhelminthes.

© McGraw Hill

15

16 of 135

Phylogeny of Acoelomorphs

Phylogenetic studies using molecular characters such as mitochondrial genome and myosin genes describe acoelomorphs as early-diverging bilaterally symmetrical triploblasts.

Have only four or five Hox genes unlike free-living Platyhelminthes which have seven or eight Hox genes.

© McGraw Hill

16

17 of 135

Clades Within Protostomia

Most triploblastic metazoans are divided into two superphlya: Protostomia and Deuterostomia.

Protostomes now divided into two large clades: Ecdysozoa and Lophotrochozoa.

    • Ecdysozoa possess a cuticle that is molted as their bodies grow.
    • Lophotrochozoa share either a horse-shoe shaped feeding structure, the lophophore or have unique larval form called the trochophore.

Modern molecular phylogenies have grouped acoelomate and coelomate taxa together within the protostomes.

    • These body plans do not form monophyletic groups.

© McGraw Hill

17

18 of 135

Trochophore Larvae

Minute, translucent, and roughly top-shaped.

Have a prominent circlet of cilia and sometimes one or two accessory circlets.

Occur in the early development of other marine members of Annelida and Mollusca and are assumed to be ancestral for these groups.

Trochophore-like larvae also occur in some Platyhelminthes, Nemertean, Echiura, and Sipunculida groups.

© McGraw Hill

18

19 of 135

Clade Platyzoa

Clade Platyzoa is a unique group of lophotrochozoan protostomes that contain Platyhelminthes, Gastrotricha, and Gnathifera.

Gnathifera contains four phyla.

    • Gnathostomulida.
    • Micrognathozoa.
    • Rotifera
    • Acanthocephala.

© McGraw Hill

19

20 of 135

Platyzoan Relationships

Figure 14.5 Hypothetical relationships among members of Platyzoa.

© McGraw Hill

20

21 of 135

Phylum Platyhelminthes

Commonly called flatworms; vary in size from a millimeter to many meters in length like tapeworms.

Normally slender, leaf-like form but can also be long and ribbon-like.

Some free-living; others parasitic.

Not a valid monophyletic phylum according to some due to lack of single unique characteristic.

However, parasitic species have an external body covering called a syncytial tegument (neodermis), not the cellular ciliated epidermis of free-living species.

© McGraw Hill

21

22 of 135

Example of a Platyhelminth

Figure 14.6 (A) Stained planarian. (B) Bipalium, a terrestrial flatworm.

©Michael Abbey/Science Source

© McGraw Hill

22

23 of 135

Platyhelminth Diversity

Platyhelminthes is divided into four classes: Turbellaria, Trematoda, Monogenea, and Cestoda.

Class Turbellaria.

    • Mostly free-living with some symbiotic and parasitic forms.
    • Bottom dwellers in marine areas or freshwater streams, pools, and hot springs.
    • Terrestrial flatworms limited to moist places.

Monogenea, Trematoda (flukes), and Cestoda (tapeworms) are all parasitic.

    • Monogeneans mostly ectoparasites.
    • Cestodes and Trematodes are endoparasites.

© McGraw Hill

23

24 of 135

Platyhelminthes Relationships

Figure 14.7 Hypothetical relationships among parasitic Platyhelminthes.

© McGraw Hill

24

25 of 135

Turbellarian Form and Function

Most have cellular, ciliated epidermis on a basement membrane.

Contains rod-shaped rhabdites that swell and form a protective mucous sheath when discharged with water.

Most turbellarians have dual-gland adhesive organs in the epidermis.

    • Viscid gland cells fasten microvilli of anchor cells to substrate.
    • Secretions of releasing gland cells provide a quick chemical detachment.

© McGraw Hill

25

26 of 135

Anatomy of a Planarian

Figure 14.8 (A) Whole planarian. (B) Cross section of planarian through pharyngeal region, showing relationships of body structures.

©Eric Grave/Science Source

© McGraw Hill

26

27 of 135

Dual-Gland Adhesive Organ

Figure 14.9 Reconstruction of dual-gland adhesive organ of the turbellarian Haplopharynx sp.

© McGraw Hill

27

28 of 135

Parasitic Platyhelminth Form and Function

Three parasitic classes have a non-ciliated body covering called syncytial tegument that has many nuclei enclosed within a cell membrane.

Many larval forms have temporary ciliated covering that is shed when a host is contacted to prevent host immune response.

Neodermis formed after several surface layers of epidermis are shed, allowing cytoplasmic extensions from cells below basement membrane to reach the surface.

The three parasitic groups are in clade Neodermata.

© McGraw Hill

28

29 of 135

Tegument of Endoparasites

Resistant to host immune system and to digestive juices within the host gut which allow tapeworms and other worms to dwell in it.

Syncytial nature of tegument allows more resistance due to lack of penetrable junctions between cells.

Tegument can be absorptive and secretory where secreted enzymes can reduce host digestive system and absorb nutrients from host gut cavity.

Most tapeworms have no mouth and lack complete digestive tract.

© McGraw Hill

29

30 of 135

Structure of the Tegument

Figure 14.10 Diagrammatic drawing of the structure of the tegument of a trematode Fasciola hepatica.

© McGraw Hill

30

31 of 135

Turbellarian Nutrition and Digestion

Platyhelminthes generally have mouth, pharynx, and intestine.

In turbellarians the pharynx may extend through the ventral mouth.

    • Intestine has three branches—one anterior and two posterior.
    • Gastrovascular cavity lined with columnar epithelium.
    • Generally carnivorous and detect food by chemoreceptors.
    • Food trapped in mucous secretions from glands and rhabdites.
    • Extend the proboscis to suck up bits of food.
    • Enzymes are secreted for extracellular digestion; cells in gastrodermis complete digestion at intracellular level.
    • Undigested food egested out the pharynx.

© McGraw Hill

31

32 of 135

Structure of a Planarian

Figure 14.11 Structure of a planarian. (A) Reproductive and osmoregulatory systems. (B) Digestive tract and ladder-type nervous system. (C) Pharynx extended through ventral mouth.

© McGraw Hill

32

33 of 135

Parasitic Platyhelminth Digestion

Monogeneans and trematodes graze on host cells, feeding on cellular debris and body fluids.

    • Mouth opens near the anterior end.
    • Pharynx is not extensible.
    • Intestine ends blindly, varies in degree of branching but often is Y-shaped.

Cestodes have no digestive system.

    • Cestodes generally rely on the host’s digestive tract and absorb digested nutrients as small molecules.

© McGraw Hill

33

34 of 135

Structure of a Trematode

Figure 14.12 Structure of human liver fluke Clonorchis sinenesis.

© McGraw Hill

34

35 of 135

Platyhelminth Excretion and Osmoregulation

Flatworms have protonephridia used for osmoregulation and excretion.

Majority of metabolic wastes removed by diffusion across the wall.

Have flame cells which are cup-shaped structures that have flagella extending from the surface.

Beating flagella drive fluids down collecting ducts and through delicate interlaced projections.

Wall of the duct bears folds or microvilli to resorb ions and molecules.

© McGraw Hill

35

36 of 135

Variations in Protonephridia

In Planarians, the collecting ducts join and empty at nephridiopores to regulate water.

Monogeneans have two excretory pores that open laterally near anterior end.

Trematodes have ducts that empty into excretory bladder that leads to the outside via a terminal pore.

Cestodes have two main excretory canals on each side that are continuous along the length of the worm and join on the last segment and opens to the terminal pore.

© McGraw Hill

36

37 of 135

Platyhelminth Nervous System

Most primitive type of flatworm nervous system, found in some turbellarians, called subepidermal nerve plexus.

    • Resembles the nerve net of cnidarians.

Other flatworms also have one to five pairs of longitudinal nerve cords under the muscle layer.

Freshwater planarians have one ventral pair of nerve cords forming a ladder-type pattern and the brain is a bilobed ganglion anterior to the ventral nerve cords.

    • Neurons are organized into sensory, motor, and other types.

© McGraw Hill

37

38 of 135

Platyhelminth Sense Organs

Active locomotion favored cephalization and evolution of sense organs.

Ocelli (light-sensitive eyespots) present in turbellarians, monogeneans, and larval trematodes.

Tactile and chemoreceptive cells are abundant over the body especially in the ear-shaped auricles on the sides of the head of planarians.

Some have statocysts for equilibrium and rheoreceptors to sense the direction of water currents.

Sensory nerve endings found in oral suckers and genital pores of parasitic groups.

© McGraw Hill

38

39 of 135

Flatworm Reproduction and Regeneration

Many turbellarians reproduce asexually (fission) and sexually.

    • Fission involves constricting behind the pharynx and separating.
    • Each half regenerates the missing parts for rapid population growth.
    • Some do not separate immediately, creating chains of zooids.
    • Planarians are known for regenerative powers—if the head and tail are cut off, each end grows the missing part and it retains polarity.

Trematodes have asexual reproduction in their intermediate hosts, snails.

Some juvenile cestodes have extensive asexual reproduction.

Nearly all flatworms are monoecious (hermaphroditic) but can cross-fertilize.

© McGraw Hill

39

40 of 135

Fission in Turbellarians

Figure 14.13 Some small freshwater turbellarians.

© McGraw Hill

40

41 of 135

Flatworm Reproductive Development

Endolecithal eggs with spiral determinate cleavage are typical of some turbellarians, and likely ancestral for flatworms.

Parasitic flatworms generally have female gametes with little yolk; yolk is released by separate organs called vitellaria.

    • Ectolecithal development occurs when yolk cells surround the zygote.
    • Spiral cleavage pattern cannot be distinguished due to yolk.
    • Zygote and yolk cells surrounded by eggshell move into the uterus and are released through the genital pore.
    • Access to the yolk in ectolecithal eggs can be problematic for the embryo so the outermost epidermal cells grow outwards to encompass the yolk.
    • As epidermal cells are shed, successive inner layers enclose the yolk.

© McGraw Hill

41

42 of 135

Turbellarian Reproductive Structures

Male structures include one or more testes, connected to vasa efferentia that connect to one vas deferens.

    • Vas deferens runs to a seminal vesicle and leads to a papilla-like penis or extensible copulatory organ called a cirrus.

Turbellarians develop male and female organs opening at a common genital pore.

    • After copulation, eggs and yolk cells enclosed in small cocoon that is attach by a stalk to plants.
    • Embryos emerge and resemble little adults.
    • Some embryos of marine forms develop to ciliated, free-swimming larvae similar to trochophores.

© McGraw Hill

42

43 of 135

Parasitic Flatworm Reproductive Structures

Monogeneans hatch free-swimming larvae that attach to hosts and develop into juveniles.

Larval trematodes emerge as ciliated larvae that penetrate or are eaten by the intermediate host like snails.

Cestodes hatch only after being consumed by a variety of intermediate host.

© McGraw Hill

43

44 of 135

Class Turbellaria

Mostly free-living; range from 5 mm to 50 cm long.

Live under objects in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats.

Turbellarians are distinguished by the presence or absence of gut, pattern of branching of the gut, and type of pharynx.

    • Polyclads have a folded pharynx and a gut with many branches, with larger polyclads having more highly branched intestines.
    • Members of order Tricladida, like the planaria, are ectolecithal and have a three-branched intestine.

© McGraw Hill

44

45 of 135

Turbellarian Gut Pattern

Figure 14.14 Intestinal pattern of two orders of turbellarians. (A) Tricladida. (B) Polycladida.

© McGraw Hill

45

46 of 135

Turbellarian Movement

Turbellarians combine creeping with ciliary movements.

    • Very small planaria swim by cilia.

Others move by gliding over a slime track secreted by marginal adhesive glands.

    • Use rhythmical muscular waves that pass backwards from the head.

Larger polyclads and terrestrial turbellarians crawl with muscular undulations like snails.

© McGraw Hill

46

47 of 135

Marine Turbellarian

Figure 14.15 Pseudobiceros hancockanus, a marine polyclad turbellarian.

©Diane R. Nelson

© McGraw Hill

47

48 of 135

Class Trematoda

All are parasitic flukes and most adults are endoparasites of vertebrates.

Mostly leaflike with one or more suckers, but lack opisthaptor of monogenean flukes.

Adaptations for parasitism include:

    • Various penetration glands.
    • Glands to produce cyst material.
    • Hooks and suckers for adhesion.
    • Increased reproductive capacity.
    • Sense organs poorly developed.

© McGraw Hill

48

49 of 135

Trematode Diversity

Trematodes share many characteristics with ectolecithal turbellarians.

    • Well-developed alimentary canal, reproductive, excretory, nervous systems, and well-formed musculature and parenchyma cells.

Subclass Aspidogastrea is least well-known.

    • Most have single hosts, usually mollusks.
    • Those with secondary hosts usually infect fish or turtles.

Subclass Digenea is largest and most well-known.

    • Many species with medical and economic importance.

© McGraw Hill

49

50 of 135

Subclass Digenea

Complex life cycle.

    • First intermediate host is a mollusk.
    • Definitive or final host is a vertebrate, inside which the parasites reproduce sexually.

Some species need a 2nd or 3rd intermediate host in the life cycle.

Parasitize almost all kinds of vertebrate hosts and can inhabit a wide variety of body parts within the hosts.

© McGraw Hill

50

51 of 135

General Digenean Life Cycle

Larva passes from definitive host in excreta and must reach water to develop.

Hatches into a free-swimming ciliated larva, the miracidium.

Miracidium penetrates tissues of a snail and is transformed into a sporocyst.

Sporocyst reproduces asexually to form more sporocysts or rediae.

Rediae reproduce asexually to form more rediae or cercariae.

Single egg therefore can produce a multitude of infectious progeny.

© McGraw Hill

51

52 of 135

Life Cycle of a Digenean

Cercariae emerge from the snail and penetrate a final host, a 2nd intermediate host, or encyst on aquatic vegetation.

Cercaria then develop into metacercariae (juvenile flukes).

Metacercariae are eaten by definitive host and move to final infection sites and grow into adults.

Numerous infectious digenean parasites impact humans and domesticated animals.

© McGraw Hill

52

53 of 135

Sheep Liver Fluke

The sheep liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) was first digenean life cycle described.

Infects sheep and other ruminants.

Adult flukes live in liver bile passage; eggs released in feces.

Miracidia hatch and penetrate snails to become sporocysts.

After two generations of rediae, the cercaria encyst on vegetation and await being eaten.

When eaten, metacercariae develop into young flukes and live in the liver of hosts.

© McGraw Hill

53

54 of 135

Human Liver Fluke

Clonorchis sinensis is most important human liver fluke; also infects cats, dogs, and pigs.

Common in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

Adult fluke is 10 to 20 mm long with an oral and ventral sucker.

Digestive system includes pharynx, muscular esophagus, and two long unbranched intestinal ceca.

Excretory system has two protonephridial tubules with branches lined with flame cells that form a bladder and open to the outside.

© McGraw Hill

54

55 of 135

Liver Fluke Structure

Nervous system has two cerebral ganglia and longitudinal cords with transverse connectives like other flatworms.

Reproductive system is hermaphroditic with 80% of body devoted to it.

    • Two branched testes lead to single vas deferens, a seminal vesicle, an ejaculatory duct, and then to genital pore.
    • Branched ovary leads to short oviduct that is joined by ducts from seminal receptacle and vitellaria at the ootype.
    • From the ootype, surrounded by Mehlis’ gland, the uterus connects to the genital pore.

© McGraw Hill

55

56 of 135

Clonorchis Life Cycle

Adults live in bile passageways of humans and other fish-eating mammals.

Eggs containing a complete miracidium are shed into water with feces.

Eggs hatch only when ingested by snails of specific genera.

Miracidium enters snail tissue and transforms into a sporocyst.

Sporocyst produces one generation of rediae, which begin development.

Rediae pass into the snail liver and develop into tadpole-like cercariae.

© McGraw Hill

56

57 of 135

Life Cycle of Clonorchis

Cercariae escape into water and make contact with fish of the family Cyprinidae.

Bore under scales and into fish muscles where they shed tail and encyst as metacercariae.

A mammal eats raw fish and cyst dissolves, releasing young flukes to migrate up bile duct.

Heavy infection can destroy the liver and result in death.

Control of parasites requires the removal of snails or thorough cooking of fish.

© McGraw Hill

57

58 of 135

Life Cycle of Clonorchis sinensis

Figure 14.16 Life cycle of Clonorchis sinensis.

© McGraw Hill

58

59 of 135

Schistosoma – Blood Flukes

Over 200 million people infected with schistosomiasis.

Common in Africa, South America, West Indies, and the Middle and Far East.

Sexes are separate (dioecious) with males being broader, heavier and have large ventral groove called gynecophoric canal that is posterior to the ventral sucker.

Gynecophoric canal wraps around long and slender female during mating session.

© McGraw Hill

59

60 of 135

Schistosomiasis

Three species account for most human schistosomiasis:

    • S. mansoni—lives in veins that drain large intestine; common in Africa, Brazil, West Indies, and many northern parts of South America; depends on Biomphalaria snails.
    • S. japonicum—lives in veins of small intestine; confined to the Far East and uses Oncomelania snail hosts.
    • S. haemotobium—lives in veins of urinary bladder; prevalent in Africa and uses Bulinus and Physopsis snails as intermediary hosts.

Control is best achieved through proper hygiene and avoidance of contaminated areas.

© McGraw Hill

60

61 of 135

Schistosoma Life Cycle

Eggs discharged in human feces or urine.

In water, eggs hatch as ciliated miracidia and search for snail.

In snail, transform to sporocysts.

Sporocysts produce daughter sporocysts that produce cercaria.

Cercariae escape snail and swim until they contact human skin where cercariae pierce the skin and shed their tails.

Enter blood vessels and migrate to the hepatic portal blood vessels so as to develop in the liver.

No redia or metacercariae stages.

© McGraw Hill

61

62 of 135

Life Cycle of Schistosoma

After development in liver, migrate to target sites.

As females release eggs, they are extruded through venous walls and gut or bladder lining to exit with feces or urine.

Eggs that do not get extruded flow back to the liver in blood and can form centers of inflammation.

Eggs cause most of the ill effects in the human host.

    • S. mansonii and S. japonicum causes ulcers, abscesses and bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain; usually more severe cases of the disease.
    • S. haematobium causes bladder ulceration leading to bloody urine and pain; generally less severe cases of the disease.
    • All eggs can impede blood flow and interfere with normal organ function.

© McGraw Hill

62

63 of 135

Life Cycle of Schistosoma mansoni

Figure 14.17 (A) Adult male and female Schistosoma mansoni in copulation.

(B) Life cycle of Schistosoma mansoni.

©Larry S. Roberts

© McGraw Hill

63

64 of 135

Liver Damaged by Schistosoma

Figure 14.18 This cut surface of a liver shows schistosomal hepatic fibrosis.

©Larry Roberts/McGraw-Hill Education

© McGraw Hill

64

65 of 135

Schistosome Dermatitis

Schistosome dermatitis is known as swimmer’s itch.

Various species can cause rashes and dermatitis when the cercariae penetrate an unsuitable host, like humans.

Severity of the rash increases with increasing number of contacts or sensitization as the cercariae are attacked by the hosts’ immune system and release allergenic substances.

It affects many tourists at contaminated vacation sites and infested lakes.

© McGraw Hill

65

66 of 135

Paragonimus—Lung Flukes

Paragonimus westermani is a lung fluke that parasitizes a variety of mammals.

Eggs are coughed, then swallowed, and eliminated in feces.

Zygotes develop in water and miracidia penetrate a snail host.

In snail, miracidia produce sporocysts, which become rediae.

Cercariae form in rediae and are shed into the water or ingested by freshwater crabs that prey on infested snails.

Metacercariae develop in crabs and human infection occurs by eating uncooked crabmeat.

Infection causes respiratory issues like breathing difficulties and chronic cough that can lead to fatalities.

© McGraw Hill

66

67 of 135

Other Trematodes

Fasciolopsis buski lives in human and pig intestines.

    • Mostly in India and China.
    • Larval stages occur in several snail species.
    • Cercariae encyst on water chestnuts, an aquatic plant eaten raw by humans and pigs.

Leucochloridium lives in snails and birds.

    • Snails eat vegetation infected with eggs.
    • Sporocysts enlarge and enter snail’s head and tentacles, becoming colorful and pulsating.
    • It attracts birds to eat snails and continue the life cycle.

© McGraw Hill

67

68 of 135

Paragonimus

Figure 14.19 Lung fluke Paragonimus westermani.

©Natural History Museum, London/SPL/Science Source

© McGraw Hill

68

69 of 135

Class Monogenea

Originally placed in Trematoda but now in different classes.

Some now argue they are sister taxa, both having a posterior attachment with hooks.

Monogeneas are all external parasites of many fish, especially on gills, but a few are found in bladders of frogs and turtles.

Generally cause little harm or damage to host but can become a problematic pathogen in crowded fish farming areas.

© McGraw Hill

69

70 of 135

Monogenean Features

Have direct life cycle in a single host.

Egg hatches to produce ciliated larvae called oncomiracidium that attaches to host by posterior hooks.

Posterior hooks may become the posterior attachment organ of the adult, called the opisthaptor.

Opisthaptors vary widely as hooks, suckers, clamps, and a combination of forms to withstand the force of water flow while attached to the gills and skin of fish.

© McGraw Hill

70

71 of 135

Structure of Monogenean

Figure 14.20 A monogenetic

fluke Gyrodactylus cylindriformis, ventral view.

© McGraw Hill

71

72 of 135

Class Cestoda

Tapeworms have long flat bodies.

    • Scolex, bearing suckers and hooks, allows attachment to the host.
    • Scolex is followed by a linear series of reproductive units, proglottids.

Tapeworms lack a digestive system but have well-developed muscles.

Excretory and nervous systems similar to other flatworms.

Lack sensory organs except for modified cilia that are sensory endings on the tegument.

© McGraw Hill

72

73 of 135

External Anatomy of a Tapeworm

Figure 14.21 A tapeworm, showing strobila and scolex. The scolex is the organ of attachment.

©Science Photo Library RF/Getty Images

© McGraw Hill

73

74 of 135

Tapeworm Sensory Ending

Figure 14.22 Schematic drawing of a longitudinal section through a sensory ending in the tegument of Echinococcus granulosus.

© McGraw Hill

74

75 of 135

Form of Cestoda

Cestodes, like trematodes and monogeneans, have no external motile cilia.

However, entire surface of cestodes is covered with small projections called microtriches similar to microvilli seen in the vertebrate small intestine.

Microtriches increase the surface area for food absorption since tapeworms are parasitic and attach to the intestines of the hosts.

Subclass Eucestoda has the most species.

© McGraw Hill

75

76 of 135

Subclass Eucestoda

Main body of tapeworm is a chain of proglottids called the strobila.

Proglottids originate in the germinative zone just behind the scolex.

Some practice self-fertilization, although the norm is cross-fertilization.

Each proglottid contains a complete male and female reproductive system.

Shelled embryos form in the uterus and either expelled through uterine pore or the entire proglottid is shed from the worm.

© McGraw Hill

76

77 of 135

Tapeworm Diversity

Proglottid formation is not “true” segmentation since replication of sex organs is not equivalent to metamerism in annelids and others.

Nearly all cestodes require two hosts and the adult is parasitic in the digestive tract of the vertebrates.

Over 1000 species of tapeworms known, infecting almost all vertebrates and having intermediate invertebrate host.

Most tapeworms do little harm to host.

© McGraw Hill

77

78 of 135

Taenia saginata—Beef Tapeworm

Lives as an adult in the alimentary canal of humans while juveniles mostly form in the intermuscular tissue of cattle.

Mature adults can reach over 10 meters in length with over 2000 proglottids.

Scolex has four suckers but no hooks and a short neck connecting to strobili.

Proglottid has muscles and parenchyma with repeating reproductive and excretory systems and complete male and female organs like those in trematodes.

Human infection very common; can be avoided by eating only thoroughly cooked beef since much of the beef supply (20%) is not inspected by the USDA.

© McGraw Hill

78

79 of 135

Beef Tapeworm Features

Excretory canals run from scolex along entire body and connect to excretory duct.

Nerve cords from a nerve ring in the scolex run along proglottids.

Contains vitellaria in a single compact vitelline gland posterior to ovaries.

Gravid proglottids break off and usually crawl out of feces and attach to vegetation.

Proglottids rupture as they dry; embryos are viable for five months and are picked up by grazing animals.

© McGraw Hill

79

80 of 135

Life Cycle of Beef Tapeworm

Cattle swallow shelled larvae; these hatch as oncospheres and use hooks to burrow through intestinal wall to blood or lymph.

Reach voluntary muscle and encyst to become bladder worms (juveniles called cysticerci).

    • Develop invaginated scolex but remain dormant.

When the infected meat is eaten, the cyst wall dissolves and the scolex evaginates to attach to intestinal mucosa.

New proglottids develop in 2 to 3 weeks to form mature worm.

Infected individuals expel numerous proglottids daily either in feces or by crawling out of the anus.

© McGraw Hill

80

81 of 135

Beef Tapeworm Life Cycle

Figure 14.23 Life cycle of beef tapeworm, Taenia saginata.

© McGraw Hill

81

82 of 135

Taenia solium—Pork Tapeworm

Adults live in small intestines of humans while juveniles live in muscles of pigs.

Most common mode of infection occurs when pigs consume infected human fecal material containing fertilized eggs.

    • Inside pig, tapeworm larvae encyst in muscle tissue.
    • Humans eating undercooked pork ingest cysts which hatch and develop into adult tapeworms.

If human ingest fertilized tapeworm eggs, can develop cysticercosis.

    • Larvae migrate to organs and form cysticerci.
    • Infection of brain of spinal cord may lead to death.

© McGraw Hill

82

83 of 135

Brain Damage from Cysticercosis

Figure 14.25 Section through the brain of a person who died of cerebral cysticercosis, an infection with cysticerci of Taenia solium.

©Ana Flisser

© McGraw Hill

83

84 of 135

Diphyllobothrium latum—Fish Tapeworm

Adults found in intestines of humans, dogs, cats, and other mammals.

Immature stages found in crustaceans and fish.

Largest cestode to infect humans, reaching up to 20 meters in length.

Fish tapeworm infections can occur anywhere people eat raw fish and is quite common in the Great Lakes region of the USA.

© McGraw Hill

84

85 of 135

Echinococcus granulosus—Unilocular Hydatid

A dog tapeworm that causes hydatidosis.

Adults parasitize dogs and other canines; juveniles infest many mammal species.

Humans may serve as dead-end host.

Juveniles form a special cysticercus, a hydatid cyst, that grows up to 20 years and form large masses that can affect major body parts.

    • Main cyst maintains a single chamber (unilocular).
    • Daughter cysts bud off with thousands of scolices, each able to produce a worm if eaten by canine.

Treatment is chemotherapies or surgical removal.

© McGraw Hill

85

86 of 135

Dog Tapeworm Proglottids

Figure 14.24 Mature proglottid of Taenia pisiformis, a dog tapeworm.

©NHPA/M. I. Walker

© McGraw Hill

86

87 of 135

Dog Tapeworm

Figure 14.26 Echinococcus granulosus, a dog tapeworm. (A) Early hydatid cyst or bladder-worm stage found in cattle, sheep, hogs, and sometimes humans that produces hydatid disease. (B) The adult tapeworm lives in the intestine of a dog or other carnivore.

© McGraw Hill

87

88 of 135

Phylum Gastrotricha

Gastrotrichs are small ventrally flattened animals.

Look similar to rotifers but lack corona and mastax and have bristly scaly body.

Usually found gliding along substrates via their ventral cilia.

Found in fresh, brackish, and salt water with many species being cosmopolitan.

About 450 species, only a few of which can be in both fresh and marine habitats.

© McGraw Hill

88

89 of 135

Gastrotrich Form

Have convex dorsal surface bearing bristles, spines or scales, and a ventral flattened ciliated surface.

Head region is lobed and ciliated while tail region may be elongated and forked.

Has partial syncytial epidermis beneath cuticle with a dual-gland system for attachment and release.

No specialized respiratory or circulatory system; uses simple diffusion.

No body cavity.

© McGraw Hill

89

90 of 135

Gastrotrich Function

Gastrotrichs have extracellular digestion with complete digestive system including mouth, muscular pharynx, stomach-intestine region, and anus.

Protonephridia with solenocytes rather than flame cells.

    • Solenocytes enclose a single flagella within a cylinder of cytoplasmic rods.

Nervous system has brain near pharynx with a pair of lateral nerve trunks.

Generally lack eyespots; some have pigmented ocelli in brain.

Some sensory bristles on the head used for tactile response.

Pestle organ on head may be chemoreceptor.

© McGraw Hill

90

91 of 135

Gastrotrich Reproduction

Gastrotrichs are typically hermaphroditic.

    • Male system of some is so rudimentary that they are functionally parthenogenetic females.

Produce thin-walled eggs but also develop thick-shelled dormant eggs that can withstand harsh environments for many years.

Development is direct with growth and maturation being rapid and juveniles reach sexual maturity within days.

© McGraw Hill

91

92 of 135

External and Internal Gastrotrich Anatomy

Figure 14.27 (A) Live Chaetonotus simrothic, a common gastrotrich. (B) Dorsal surface. (C) Internal structure, ventral view.

©Perennou Nuridsany/Science Source

© McGraw Hill

92

93 of 135

Structure of a Gastrotrich

Figure 14.28 Gastrotrichs in order Macrodasyida. (A) Macrodasys. (B) Turbanella.

© McGraw Hill

93

94 of 135

Clade Gnathifera

Consists of 4 lophotrochozoan phyla.

    • Gnathostomulida, Micrognathozoa, Rotifera, and Acanthocephala.

Ancestors possessed complex cuticular jaws with homologous microstructure.

Living gnathiferans vary in the number of pairs of jaws.

    • Acanthocephalans have no jaws.

Most gnathiferans are free-living aquatic animals.

    • Acanthocephalans are endoparasites.

Rotifers and acanthocephalans are presumably sister taxa.

    • Both have a eutelic syncytial epidermis.

© McGraw Hill

94

95 of 135

Phylum Gnathostomulida

Jaw worms are found in a variety of areas around the world.

    • Mostly in interstitial spaces of very fine sand, sediment, and silt from the coasts to the deep sea.
    • Over 80 species described.

Can endure very low oxygen.

Live in association with a variety of other small forms like ciliates, tardigrades, and worms.

Glide, swim in loops and spirals and bend the head from side to side with many sensory cilia on the head.

© McGraw Hill

95

96 of 135

Gnathostomulid Features

Feed by scraping bacteria and fungi from the substrate with paired jaws on the pharynx.

Ciliated epidermis, but only 1 cilium per epidermal cell (unusual in lophotrochozoans).

Body is acoelomate with no circulatory system; probably use diffusion for excretion and gas exchange.

Not much known about mating behavior and reproductive system.

    • Protandric or simultaneous hermaphrodite that can cross-fertilize internally forming single zygote.

© McGraw Hill

96

97 of 135

Structure of a Gnathostomulid

Figure 14.29 (A) Gnathostomula jenneri is a tiny member of the interstitial fauna between grains of sand or mud.

© McGraw Hill

97

98 of 135

Phylum Micrognathozoa

One known species, Limnognathia maerski.

Tiny animals living interstitially, using cilia to move.

Two-part head, thorax and abdomen leading to short tail.

Epidermis has dorsal plates but no ventral ones.

Have a ventral ciliary adhesive pad that produces glue.

Have three pairs of complex jaws with mouth leading to simple gut and anus.

Two pairs of protonephridia.

Reproductive system is not well understood; only female organs have been found.

© McGraw Hill

98

99 of 135

Structure of a Micrognathozoan

Figure 14.30 (A) Limnognathia maerski, a micrognathozoan. (B) Detail of complex jaws. (C) A living specimen.

©Martin V. Sorensen

© McGraw Hill

99

100 of 135

Phylum Rotifera

Have ciliated crown (corona) that beats like rotating wheels.

About 2000 species, most between 100 and 500 µm.

Inhabit freshwater lakes and ponds; usually benthic, living on vegetation and between sand grains (meiofauna).

Pelagic forms common in surface waters; some are epizoic (live on body of another animal) and some parasitic.

Can have bizarre shapes ranging from globular and saclike to elongated and vase-like with thick outer epidermis (lorica).

© McGraw Hill

100

101 of 135

Features of Rotifera

Rotifers can endure long periods of dryness (desiccation).

    • During dry periods appear like sand grains.
    • Can be revived upon addition of water.

Other species can survive extreme cold temperature (−272 Celsius) and be successfully revived.

Can have a variety of locomotory forms ranging from free-floating, creeping and swimming, to sessile forms.

Some are colonial while others are solitary.

© McGraw Hill

101

102 of 135

Structure of a Rotifer

Figure 14.31 (A) Live Philodina sp., a common rotifer. (B) Structure of Philodina sp.

©John Walsh/Science Source

© McGraw Hill

102

103 of 135

External Features of Rotifers

Rotiferan body has a head, trunk, and tail (foot); except for the corona, it is nonciliated and covered in cuticle.

Corona can have sensory bristles (papillae), a midventral mouth and coronal cilia use for swimming and feeding.

Trunk may be elongated or saclike with sensory antennae.

    • Body wall may be superficially ringed, appearing segmented.
    • Have a fibrous layer in the epidermis.
    • Some have thick fibrous layer called lorica arranged as plates or rings.

Foot may have 1 to 4 toes with pedal glands for attachment.

    • Reduced in swimming pelagic forms.

© McGraw Hill

103

104 of 135

Examples of Rotifers

Figure 14.32 Variety of form in rotifers.

© McGraw Hill

104

105 of 135

Internal Features of Rotifers

Syncytial epidermis secretes cuticle and bands of subepidermal muscles around the body.

Large pseudocoel filled with fluid, muscles, and mesenchymal ameboid cells.

Digestive system is complete with pharynx (mastax) fitted with hard jaws (trophi) for sucking and grinding of food,

    • Mastax is often a distinguishing feature.

Salivary and gastric glands likely secrete enzymes for extracellular digestion; absorption occurs in the stomach.

© McGraw Hill

105

106 of 135

Rotifer Function

Excretory system has pair of protonephridial tubules with flame cells that empty to common bladder.

Pulsating motion drains bladder into cloaca; intestines and oviduct also empty into cloaca.

Protonephridia may be important in osmoregulation.

Has bilobed brain dorsal to the mastax region and has paired eyespots, sensory bristles, papillae, and antennae.

© McGraw Hill

106

107 of 135

Rotifer Reproduction

Dioecious with males smaller than females.

    • No males known in class Bdelloidea; only present for a few weeks in class Monogononta.

Females in Bdelloidea and Monogononta have combined ovaries and yolk glands, called germovitellaria.

    • Yolk enters developing ova through cytoplasmic bridges; it is not stored as separate yolk cells.

In Bdelloidea, all females are parthenogenetic.

    • Produce diploid eggs that hatch to diploid females.

In Seisonidea, females produce haploid eggs.

    • Must be fertilized and develop into males or females.

© McGraw Hill

107

108 of 135

Reproduction in Class Monogononta

Most of the year, diploid females produce diploid amictic eggs.

    • Amictic eggs develop parthenogenetically into diploid females.

Environmental factors like crowding, diet, and photoperiod may induce amictic eggs to develop into diploid mictic females.

    • These females produce haploid eggs.
    • Unfertilized haploid eggs form haploid males.
    • Fertilized haploid eggs (mictic eggs) become dormant with a thick resistant shell to survive over winter and later hatch as amictic females.
    • Dormant mictic eggs can be dispersed by winds and birds.

© McGraw Hill

108

109 of 135

Monogonont Reproductive Structures

Males have single testis and ciliated sperm duct leading to genital pore.

    • Males usually lack cloaca.

End of sperm duct forms copulatory organ which can penetrate any part of female body and inject sperm into pseudocoelom where fertilization occurs.

Females hatch with complete adult features and mature quickly.

Males often do not grow and are sexually mature at hatching.

© McGraw Hill

109

110 of 135

Monogonont Life Cycle

Figure 14.33 Reproduction of some rotifers is parthenogenetic during the part of the year when environmental conditions are suitable.

© McGraw Hill

110

111 of 135

Phylogeny of Rotifera

Traditionally rotifers are split into three classes:

    • Class Seisonidea—marine forms with elongated body but vestigial corona and epizoic in gills of crustaceans.
    • Class Bdelloidea—creeping or swimming form with trochal discs in corona; parthenogenetic with unknown males.
    • Class Monogononta—sessile and swimming forms with small males and complex egg types.

Recent molecular work has challenged these classifications; they are subject to debate and possible revision.

© McGraw Hill

111

112 of 135

Phylum Acanthocephala

Spiny-headed worms have distinctive cylindrical invaginable proboscis with rows of recurved spines.

    • Used to attach to intestines of hosts.

Adults are endoparasites of birds, fish, and mammals while larvae live in crustaceans and insects.

Females are usually larger than males.

Bilaterally flattened body with many transverse wrinkles.

Variable sizes and cosmopolitan in distribution, with over 1100 species.

© McGraw Hill

112

113 of 135

Acanthocephalan Form

Syncytial body wall with many minute crypts (depressions) to increase body surface area.

Tegument has lacunar system of fluid-filled canals to enhance diffusion across body wall.

No heart but muscular body wall forms tubes connected to lacunar system and collectively function like heart that uses lacunar fluid as a circulatory system.

Proboscis can be inverted into a proboscis receptacle.

Two elongated hydraulic sacs, lemnisci, are attached to neck; function is unknown.

© McGraw Hill

113

114 of 135

Acanthocephalan Function

No respiratory system.

When present, excretory system has simple protonephridia with flame cells.

Nervous system and sense organs are reduced.

    • Has central ganglia within the proboscis receptacle connecting to sensory nerves on the proboscis and body.
    • Sensory endings on proboscis and genital bursa.

No digestive tract; absorb nutrients through tegument.

    • Require host dietary carbohydrates.
    • Form a metabolic “sink” for glucose.

© McGraw Hill

114

115 of 135

Acanthocephalan Reproduction

Acanthocephalans are dioecious.

    • Males have paired testes and vas deferens, and a common ejaculatory duct and copulatory organ.
    • Females have ovarian tissue within ligament sacs that breaks into ovarian balls; these are released to float in the pseudocoel.
    • One ligament sac leads to uterine bell that receives developing embryos and passes them to uterus.

Unique embryo selective apparatus system in uterine bell.

    • Fully developed embryos are longer, and are passed on to uterus.
    • Shorter immature embryos are retained for further maturation.

Shelled embryos are released in the feces of host and await entry to intermediate host.

© McGraw Hill

115

116 of 135

Hosts of Acanthocephalans

Acanthocephalans are not normally parasitic to humans, though they do infect pigs and other mammals.

    • Can infect humans if we eat infected foods.

One common species uses soil-inhabiting beetle larvae as intermediate host.

    • Acanthocephalan larva (acanthor) burrows into beetle larva intestines and develops into juvenile (cystacanth) in hemocoel.
    • When the beetle larvae are eaten by a pig, the acanthor penetrates the intestinal wall with the spiny proboscis to attach.
    • Host response is varied from little inflammation to great pain.

© McGraw Hill

116

117 of 135

Structure of Acanthocephalans

Figure 14.34 Details of the Acanthocephalan worm, Polymorphus botulus.

(a-c): ©Wayne Lord and Inga Sidor

© McGraw Hill

117

118 of 135

Phylogeny of Acanthocephala

Largely organized by shape and structure of spines on the proboscis.

Traditionally divided into three classes.

    • Archiacanthocephala, Eoacanthocephala, and Palaeacanthocephala.

New molecular data suggests that acanthocephalans may be a class of highly derived rotifers, possibly sister taxon to Bdelloidea.

© McGraw Hill

118

119 of 135

Phylum Mesozoa

Mesozoa were considered a “missing link” between unicellular eukaryotes and metazoan.

Usually minute, ciliated, and wormlike animals that live as parasites or symbionts in marine invertebrates.

Arranged in two layers of 20 to 30 cells; layers are not homologous to germ layers of metazoans.

Two classes, Rhombozoa and Orthonectida, are so different that some authorities place them in separate phyla.

© McGraw Hill

119

120 of 135

Rhombozoans

Rhombozoans live in kidneys of benthic cephalopods.

Adults are called vermiforms (or nematogens) and are long and slender.

Inner, reproductive cells give rise to vermiform larvae.

When overpopulated, reproductive cells develop into gonad-like structures producing male and female gametes.

Zygotes grow into ciliated infusoriform larvae which are shed with host urine into the seawater.

    • Much of the life cycle is still being determined.

© McGraw Hill

120

121 of 135

Structure of Rhombozoans

Figure 14.35 Two methods of reproduction by mesozoans. (A) Asexual development of vermiform larvae. (B) Under crowded conditions in the host kidney, gametes that produce infusoriform dispersal larvae in the host urine.

© McGraw Hill

121

122 of 135

Orthonectids

Orthonectids parasitize a variety of invertebrates like brittle stars, molluscs, and worms.

Reproduce sexually and asexually.

Asexual stage is quite different from rhombozoans.

    • Consists of a multinucleated mass called a plasmodium that divides to form males and females.

© McGraw Hill

122

123 of 135

Structure of Orthonectids

Figure 14.35 (A) Female and, (B) male orthonectid (Rhopalura).

© McGraw Hill

123

124 of 135

Phylogeny

Evolutionary relationships are still in flux for these groups.

    • Many phylogenies have various disagreements due to new molecular sequences and cladistic analysis.

Most current phylogenies place members of Acoelomorpha as sister taxon of all Bilateria.

    • Acoelomorpha differ from Platyhelminthes in embryonic patterns, mesoderm formation, and nervous structures.
    • Within Bilateria, molecular evidence suggests protostomes split from deuterostomes in the Precambrian.
    • Protostomes later split into lophotrochozoans and ecdysozoans; relationships within Lophotrochozoa are still in flux.

© McGraw Hill

124

125 of 135

Phylogenetic Uncertainty

We depict a lophotrochozoan clade called Platyzoa (Platyhelminthes, Gastrotricha, and Gnathifera), but not all phylogenies support this grouping.

Within Platyhelminthes, class Turbellaria is clearly paraphyletic.

Within Gnathifera, clade Syndermata (Acanthocephala and Rotifera) emerges repeatedly from phylogenetic studies repeatedly.

    • Several studies show that acanthocephalans belong within Rotifera.

Mesozoans are identified as lophotrochozoan protostomes based on molecular data, but are not placed in Platyzoa.

© McGraw Hill

125

126 of 135

© 2021 McGraw Hill. All rights reserved. Authorized only for instructor use in the classroom.

No reproduction or further distribution permitted without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill.

Because learning changes everything.®

www.mheducation.com

127 of 135

Accessibility Content: Text Alternatives for Images

© McGraw Hill

127

128 of 135

Body Plans - Text Alternative

All have an outer layer of ectoderm and a central gut cavity lined with endoderm. Acoelomate body plan has mesoderm filling the area between the ectoderm and endoderm. Pseudocoelomate body plan has layer of mesoderm just inside the ectoderm, and then a cavity the pseudocoel between the mesoderm and the endoderm. Coelomate body plan has mesoderm lining the entire body cavity between the ectoderm and the endoderm.

© McGraw Hill

128

129 of 135

Structure of an Acoelomorph - Text Alternative

This elongated oval worm has a proboscis sheath and statocyst at one end and a gonopore at the other. The center of the worm contains a large gut cavity. To the sides of the gut are the reproductive structures - testes and ovaries.

© McGraw Hill

129

130 of 135

Platyzoan Relationships - Text Alternative

The platyzoan clade is united by molecular characters. The clade splits into three groups. One is Phylum Platyhelminthes, one is phylum Gastrotricha, and one is clade Gnathifera. Gnathiferans are united by cuticular jaws, and split into four groups. The gnathiferans include phylum Gnathostomulida, Micrognathozoa, Rotifera, and Acanthocephala. The last two phyla are united in clade Syndermata.

© McGraw Hill

130

131 of 135

Anatomy of a Planarian - Text Alternative

A planarian has two ocelli at the anterior end, an extendable pharynx in the center of the body, and a branching intestine. A cross section shows the pharynx in the middle with an intestinal branch on either side. Circular and longitudinal muscles underlie the epidermis. The ventral surface contains dual-gland adhesive organs, while the dorsal surface has scattered rhabdites.

© McGraw Hill

131

132 of 135

Structure of the Tegument - Text Alternative

Within the parenchyma are tegumentary body cells, containing typical eukaryotic organelles such as mitochondria and Golgi. The cytoplasm of these tegumentary cells extends upward, through a muscle layer, to a layer of distal cytoplasm on the surface of the trematode.

© McGraw Hill

132

133 of 135

Structure of Monogenean - Text Alternative

This elongated fluke has a circular opisthaptor at one end, covered in hooks. The pharynx is at the opposite end, leading to a Y-shaped digestive tract. Reproductive structures are in the center.

© McGraw Hill

133

134 of 135

Tapeworm Sensory Ending - Text Alternative

Sensory endings are present in the tegument of tapeworms. The nerve process extends from the body through the longitudinal and circular muscle layers, into the distal cytoplasm of the tegument. There are mitochondria present in the sensory ending, which enlarges as it reaches the distal cytoplasm.

© McGraw Hill

134

135 of 135

Structure of a Gnathostomulid - Text Alternative

Gnathostomulids are small, wormlike, and relatively colorless. Bristly extensions are present at both anterior and posterior ends of the body. Jaws are visible inside the body, just behind the anterior end, leading into the gut. Reproductive organs are in the center of the body, while the stylet is in the posterior.

© McGraw Hill

135