Give four adaptations that parasites have in common…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
- Give four adaptations that parasites have in common.
- What is the difference between an ectoparasite and an endoparasite? Give an example of each.
- How many intermediate hosts does the human liver fluke need, and which are they?
- What is brood parasitism, and how does the parasitic bird reduce the chance that its eggs are thrown out?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Parasitism (+, −), commensalism (+, 0), amensalism (−, 0), mutualism (+, +), competition (−, −), predation (+, −).
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) Loss of unnecessary sense organs, adhesive organs or suckers, loss of the digestive system, and a high capacity to reproduce.
Step 2. (b) An ectoparasite lives on the outside of the host, as a tick does on a dog. An endoparasite lives inside the host, as a liver fluke or a tapeworm does.
Step 3. (c) Two, a snail and a fish.
Step 4. (d) The parasitic bird lays its eggs in the nest of the host, which hatches them. The eggs of the parasite look like those of the host in size and colour, so they are not noticed and not thrown out.
Answer: (a) the four adaptations; (b) outside against inside; (c) two, a snail and a fish; (d) eggs that look like the host's eggs.
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