Modifications and Mechanisms of Feeding of Different Animals

Topic Content:

(1) Absorbing Mechanism:

This mechanism is used by endo-parasites which practise parasitic feeding on their host. They have no mouth but absorb digested food from the intestines of their host (e.g. man). A typical example of an endo-parasite that uses this mechanism is the tapeworm.

Tapeworm:

The body of the tapeworm is modified and adapted to parasitic feeding in the following ways:

• The Head of the tapeworm is known as the scolex .

• The rostellum is located at the apical end of the scolex and contains two rows of large and small hooks.

• Tapeworms possess hooks and suckers for attaching to the internal tissues of the host, such as intestines and blood vessels.

• The tapeworm’s body is flat. This provides a large surface area for the absorptionAbsorption is the movement of digested food molecules from the digestive system into the blood (glucose and amino acids) and lymph (fatty acids and glycerol). The small intestine absorbs most of... More of digested food. The entire body surface of a tapeworm is used for the absorption of food

• The body of a tapeworm has a thick cuticle which prevents it from being digested by the enzymes of the host.

• The tapeworm has no alimentary canal hence food is absorbed through its entire body surface.

(2) Biting And