Question

What are the parasitic adaptations of leech?

Answer 1

Leech:

1. They are the segmented predatory or parasitic worms, which comprise the subclass Hirudinea and comes under the phylum Annelida.
2. They exhibit a parasitic mode of life, that is, by sucking the blood of vertebrates.
3. The organisms, which possess an internal backbone covered by bone are called vertebrates.

The parasitic adaptations of leech:

1. The presence of two suckers known as the posterior and the anterior allows it to attach to the host.
2. The nerve cells found in the epidermis assist it to determine the movement of the host and water.
3. The chemoreceptors found in their head assist them to sense different kinds of chemicals found in their surroundings.
4. The presence of three jaws helps them to penetrate the skin of the host creating a Y-shaped wound.
5. An anti-coagulant factor, that is, hirudin is secreted by the salivary gland, which assists in the spontaneous flow of blood.