Taenia saginata is the beef tapeworm which spends the adult part of its life cycle in the intestine of humans - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 10 - 2002 - Paper 1
Question 10
Taenia saginata is the beef tapeworm which spends the adult part of its life cycle in the intestine of humans. It is reasonable to suggest that features important to... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Taenia saginata is the beef tapeworm which spends the adult part of its life cycle in the intestine of humans - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 10 - 2002 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. a digestive system with specialised regions for digesting different foods.
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Answer
This feature is less relevant for a tapeworm. As a parasite, Taenia saginata absorbs nutrients directly through its skin and does not require a specialized digestive system.
Step 2
B. production of both male and female gametes by each individual.
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While hermaphroditism allows for reproduction, it is not essential for survival as a parasite, and hence is not a critical feature for the lifestyle of Taenia saginata.
Step 3
C. a body shape with a high volume to surface area ratio.
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This characteristic is important for efficient nutrient absorption. A flattened body increases surface area, allowing the tapeworm to maximize the absorption of nutrients directly from the host's intestine.
Step 4
D. well-developed sensory organs.
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Tapeworms have minimal sensory needs since they reside in a stable environment (the intestine). Therefore, this feature is not significant for their parasitic lifestyle.
