2015

Submitted to: Sir Khan

Submitted by: Talha Rafiq
Class: 8
Date of Submission: February 8, 2015

Biology Assignment
FEATURES AND INFORMATION ABOUT WORMS AND MOLLUSCS

PC1

Worms
Worms vary in size from microscopic to over 1 meter. Worms may also be
called helminths, particularly in medical terminology when referring to parasitic worms,
especially the Nematoda(roundworms) and Cestoda (tapeworms).
Habitat
Worms live in almost all parts of the world including marine, freshwater, and terrestrial
habitats. Some worms living in the ground help to condition the soil
(e.g., annelids).Many thrive as parasites of plants (e.g., aschelminths) and animals,
including several other worms may be free-living, or nonparasitic.

The Major Types Of Worms:

A Free FACT

Earthworms

There are about

As their name suggests, they live in the earth, and they are generally regarded 2700 different
asbeneficial, as their movements mix the soil, keeping it well aerated and porous. types of
Earthworms eat various types of dead organic material, such as fallen leaves and other
Earthworms.
plant parts, and excrete waste that helps supply living plants with nutrients.

Earthworms

Earthworms generally live in burrows in the soil, which may be temporary or permanent.
Some types rarely leave their burrows. Some types of earthworm can grow to a
considerable size. The types most commonly found in the USA, often called
nightcrawlers, typically grow to a little over one foot (30 centimeters) in length, but the
largest endangered Giant Palouse worm, can reach three feet (one meter). Much larger
types are found in other parts of the world. The Giant Gippsland Earthworm from
Australia grows up to nine feet.

Nematodes (Roundworms)

They are extremely numerous, and are thought to be the most abundant animals on the
planet. The vast majority of species are very small, often less than 0.04 inches (1mm)
long, but a few are much longer a 26 foot (8m) specimen was reportedly found in a
whale.

A Free Fact
A small sample
of soil will
contain many
thousands of
them

Huge numbers of nematodes are found in soil. Some are considered pests, as they eat
plant roots, but some are predatory and may be beneficial to man by eating various
invertebrate pests, including other nematodes. Many species are parasitic, and just
about every animal species, including humans, can potentially harbor a parasitic
nematode.

Flatworms
The flatworms include both predatory and parasitic species. Oxygen and nutrients reach
cells by diffusing through tissue, so the cells must all be near the surface to receive
oxygen and near the gut to receive nutrients from food. The gut may be branched, to
enable distribution of nutrients to all tissues .

A Free Fact

Flatworms
dont have
circulatory
system. This is
why they are
flat

Among the most studied types of non-parasitic flatworms are the planarians, which are
best known for their ability to regenerate lost body parts. They are found in both fresh
and salt water, and in damp soil.
Many other types of flatworm are parasites. Among the best known are tapeworms,
which live in the intestines of mammals, absorbing pre-digested food. Some types can
grow to over 65 ft (20 m) long in land mammals, and whale tapeworms reaching 100 ft
(30 m) have been reported. In humans, these parasites are usually picked up from
undercooked meat. Liver flukes, which often affect sheep, are another type of parasitic
flatworm.

Annelids

The annelids("segmented worms") are a large invertebrate phylum, with over 17,000
modern species including ragworms, earthworms and leeches. The basic annelid form
consists of multiple segments. Each segment has the same sets of organs and, in most
polychaetes, has a pair of parapodia that many species use for locomotion.

Septa separate the segments of many species, but are poorly defined or absent in
others, and Echiura and Sipuncula show no obvious signs of segmentation. In species
with well-developed septa, the blood circulates entirely within blood vessels, and the
vessels in segments near the front ends of these species are often built up with muscles
that act as hearts. The septa of such species also enable them to change the shapes of
individual segments, which facilitates movement by peristalsis ("ripples" that pass along
the body).

Features
Flatworms:

Segmented worms:

unsegment bodieshave segmented bodies.

with a mouth but no anusbodies are fluid-filled
many live in water
increase fertility of soil
flat body that does not contain blood
keep the soil aerated

Roundworms:

unsegmented bodies
gut with mouth and anus

many live in soil

most are parasites in animals

Molluscs
Molluscs are the largest marine phylum, comprising about 23% of all the named
marineorganisms. Numerous molluscs also live in freshwater and terrestrial habitats.
They are highly diverse, not just in size but in behavior. Molluscs (Mollusca) are a group
of invertebrates that includes squid, octopuses, cuttlefish, nudibranchs, snails, slugs,
limpets, sea hares, mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, as well as many less well-known
animals. Scientists estimate that there are more than 100,000 species of molluscs alive
today. This makes them the second largest phylum of animals, having fewer species
than only the arthropods.

Sloth (right side)

Cuttlefish (left side)

Molluscs have soft bodies that consist of three basic parts: a foot, a visceral mass and a
mantle. Many species also have a protective shell made of chitin, proteins and calcium
carbonate. Molluscs transport oxygen throughout their body using a different molecule
than vertebrates. Molluscs use haemocyanin, a copper-based molecule while
vertebrates use haemoglobin, an iron-based molecule.The visceral mass, located above
the foot and below the mantle, contains the digestive system, the heart, and other
internal organs.

Features:

unsegmented soft body

most have internal or external shell
have a mantle - a fold in the body wall that secretes the hard protective shell
muscular foot and/or tentacles
have a radula - a toothed structure used to grate food
two pairs of gills except in polmonate snails