Question

What are parapodia?

Answer 1

Parapodia:

1. Parapodia are the locomotory organ of segmented marine worms belonging to the class Polychaeta of phylum Annelida.
2. For example, Nereis virens.
3. Parapodia are dorsoventrally flattened flap-like hollow structures found on the lateral side of the trunk segments and filled with coelom.
4. Parapodia have the following functions:

• They help in crawling and swimming.
• They are highly vascular and aid in respiration.
• They are a site for the excretory pore called nephridiopore, from where the waste is removed from the body.