Name______________________

Simple Worms—Microscopic Observations

For this lab you will view several simple worms (some preserved and some living)  Each section below will ask you to make observations about a specimen.  Since some specimens will need to be shared with the class, you do not need to do the sections in order.  (If a specimen is not available, just skip it and come back to it)  

Specimens
Sketches

Tapeworms

Obtain a slide of a tapeworm (it will be labeled
Taenia Pisiformes)  View the slide under low
power and sketch the tapeworm.  Label the
proglottids, the hooks, and the suckers.  Indicate
the anterior and the posterior end.

  

Schistosoma

Obtain a slide of Schistosoma, also known as the
Human blood fluke.  Sketch the worm as it appears
under low power.   Label the anterior and posterior
ends.   What gives you indication that one end is
the head end?

  

Hookworms

Obtain a slide of either Necator or Ancyclostoma,
Both are different species of hookworm.  Sketch
the worm and indicate the anterior and posterior
ends.		  

Sheep Liver Fluke

Obtain a slide of the sheep liver fluke, the slides will
Be labeled Fasciola Hepatica.   Sketch the liver fluke as
it appears under low power,  can you find a mouth on the organism.  If so, label it.		  

Trichinella

Obtain a slide of trichina, this worm infects the muscles of humans and pigs.  The slide is of muscle tissue (the striped reddish area), embedded in the muscle you can find small round objects.  These are the trichina cysts.  Sketch the slide and label the muscle tissue and the cysts.

  

Vinegar Eels

Make a slide from the vinegar eel jar: put on drop on a slide and add a cover slip.  View the slide under low and high power. Sketch the vinegar eels.

Describe how the vinegar eels move.

Do you think vinegar eels are parasitic or free living worms? And what makes you think so?

  

Rotifers

Prepare another slide from the rotifer specimen jar.  Place one drop on a slide and add a cover slip.  View under low and high power.  You will often find the rotifers attached or “hooked” to algae on the slide.  Sketch the rotifer.

Pay special attention to the top of the rotifer (head?).  What structures are visible there and what do you think they are used for.

Do you think the rotifer is a parasitic or free-living worm, and what makes you think so?