While living in and on the host species, the animal parasite has evolved certain adaptations. Describe these adaptations with examples.

Vedclass pdf generator app on play store
Vedclass iOS app on app store
(N/A) In accordance with their lifestyles, parasites have evolved special adaptations to survive within or on their hosts.
$1$. Loss of unnecessary sense organs: Since parasites live in a stable environment within the host, they often lose complex sensory organs that are not required.
$2$. Presence of adhesive organs or suckers: These structures help the parasite to cling firmly to the host. For example, $Taenia$ (tapeworm) possesses suckers and hooks for attachment.
$3$. Loss of digestive system: Many endoparasites, such as the $tapeworm$, absorb nutrients directly from the host's body through their body surface, leading to the reduction or loss of a complex digestive system.
$4$. High reproductive capacity: To ensure the survival of the species despite the high mortality rate of offspring, parasites often exhibit an extremely high reproductive capacity. For example, $Ascaris$ (roundworm) produces a massive number of eggs.
$5$. Complex life cycles: The life cycles of many parasites are complex, often involving one or two intermediate hosts or vectors to facilitate the infection of the primary host.

Explore More

Similar Questions

Which type of interrelation is observed in species $A$ $(+)$ and species $B$ $(-)$?

Monarch butterflies are highly distasteful to predators due to:

How do parasites harm the host?

Despite interspecific competition in nature, which mechanism might competing species have evolved for their survival?

Which of the following exhibits parasitism on the stem of a plant?

Vedclass Products

For Students

Vedclass Test Series

Mock tests in real JEE/NEET style with performance analysis. 5-day free trial.

Start Free Trial
For Teachers

Exam Paper Generator

Generate Set A/B/C/D exam papers from 7.5L+ questions in 2 minutes. 3 chapters free.

Try Free
For Institutes

Online Exam Module

Live online exams with unlimited students, 360° analytics & white-label branding.

See Demo