Free-living flatworms can reproduce either sexually or asexually. Most are hermaphrodites (both male and female organs). During sexual reproduction, the worms join in pairs and share sperm. The eggs, which are laid in small clusters, hatch in a few weeks. Asexual reproduction by fission is also common, with their incredible regenerative skills. Parasitic flatworms do not produce asexually, but sexually.
Flukes, of the class Tremadota, undergo sexual reproduction and produce 10,000 to 100,000 more eggs than free-living flatworms. If they get to water, they hatch into swimming larvae, and infect a snail. They then infect a primary host, the human, by boring through the skin and eating their way through to the blood vessels. People infected with this disease often get very sick and die.
Flukes, of the class Tremadota, undergo sexual reproduction and produce 10,000 to 100,000 more eggs than free-living flatworms. If they get to water, they hatch into swimming larvae, and infect a snail. They then infect a primary host, the human, by boring through the skin and eating their way through to the blood vessels. People infected with this disease often get very sick and die.
Roundworms reproduce sexually, and most species have separate female and males, with some rare hermaphroditic species. The fertilization happens in the female body. 2 or 3 hosts may be involved in the life cycle of some roundworms.
No comments:
Post a Comment