What is a Roundworm?
Definition: unsegmented worms: roundworms; threadworms; eelworms
Definition: unsegmented worms: roundworms; threadworms; eelworms
Body Plan:
Roundworms have specialized tissues and organ systems that carry out essential physiological functions. In general, the body systems of free-living roundworms tend to be more complex than those of parasitic forms. Feeding: Many free-living roundworms are predators that use grasping mouthparts and spines to catch and eat other small animals. Some soil-dweling and aquatic forms eat algae, fungi, or pieces of decaying organic matter. Others digest the bacteria and fungi that break down dead animals and plants. Respiration, Excretion & Circulation: Like flatworms, roundworms exchange gases and excrete metabolic waste through their body walls. They have no internal transport system. Therefore, they depend on diffusion to carry nutrients and waste through their bodies. |
Response:
Roundworms have simple nervous systems, consisting of several ganglia. These nerves transmit sensory information and control movement. Roundworms have several types of sense organs. Some include simple structures that detect chemicals given off by prey or hosts. Movement: The muscles extend the length of their bodies. Together with the fluid in the pseudocoelom, these muscles function as a hydrostatic skeleton. Aquatic roundworms contract these muscles to move like snakes through the water. Soil-dwelling roundworms simply push their way through the soil by thrashing around. Reproduction: Roundworms reproduce asexually. |