Platyhelminthes Lab Biology 11

Purpose:
To observe planaria and beef tapeworms along with the similarities and differences between the two

Procedure:
1. Sketch planaria under low power, label the pharynx, mouth, digestive cavity and eye spots 2. Sketch all four sections of the beef tapeworm then label the scolex, immature proglottids, mature proglottids, ovaries, testes, genital pore and yolk gland.

Materials:
Microscope Prepared slide planaria digestive system Prepared slide Taena pisiformis

Discussion:
1. A. Flatworms are bilaterally symmetrical which means that they can be divided evenly down their lengths whereas sponges are asymmetrical and cnidarians have bilateral symmetry. B. Bilateral symmetry allows flatworms to have more coordinated and therefor faster movement because both sides of the body have the same structures for movement. 2. A. Planaria first extend their pharynx which excretes enzymes in order to begin digestion outside the body. They then suck the food particles into their digestive tract where the food particles enter the cells lining the digestive tract through endocytosis. Finally, the food is digested inside the individual cells. B. The digestive cavity is so highly branched so that the food can directly enter as many cells as possible. 3. Flame cells in platyhelminthes are part of the excretory system, which is the system responsible for getting rid of the chemical waste from the body. 4. Hermaphrodites contain both male and female gametes. This is advantageous for planaria because it means that they can fertilize each other while being fertilized themselves thereby reproducing more quickly and producing more offspring. 5. Tapeworms obtain their nutrients from their hosts digestive tracts by absorbing the nutrients directly through their outer skin. 6. A beef tapeworm starts in a humans intestines where it forms eggs that exit the body through the feces, the eggs then get into water and then to grass where they are eaten by a cow.

Eventually, the eggs form cysts in the cows muscle tissue. If this meat is undercooked and is eaten by a human, the cysts will develop into an adult tapeworm in the humans gut where the cycle will start all over again.

Conclusion:
i. ii. Most parasites do not kill their hosts because they are dependent on their host for a home, food or something else that they need to survive. Some differences between planarians and tapeworms are: that planarians have a basic digestive system whereas tapeworms have none, that tapeworms are parasitic, depending on a host to survive whereas planarians are free living, that planarians have a basic nervous system whereas tapeworms have none at all and planarians can undergo sexual reproduction while tapeworms cannot.