Question

Trichonympha is a symbiont in the alimentary canal of
A. Earthworm
B. Snails
C. Hermit Crab
D. Termite

Answer 1

Hint: The organism referred to here is also called a white ant. It is responsible for causing damage to billions of dollars around the world each year. It belongs to the order Isoptera of the higher-order Blattodea of the insects. Its association with Trichonympha is beneficial for both the partners as Trichonympha helps the host to digest cellulose and in return, it receives a constant food supply and shelter to live.

Complete answer:
Features of Trichonympha are –
1. It is bell-shaped and has a haploid adult stage. The complete life cycle is concerned with the host.
2. In termites, Trichonympha dies at the time of molting.
3. It also has some bacteria as hosts.
4. Encystment in termites and wood roaches can be explained by two hypothesis-
5. During molting time the gut environment becomes hostile which includes lack of food and oxygen bubble formation.
6. Due to hormonal changes of lower termites.
7. It can reproduce by both sexually and asexually (binary fission) methods.
8. The termites, as other insects do, live in colonies or nests which is also known as a termitary or termitarium.
Additional information:
Trichonympha also lives as a symbiont in the alimentary canal of wood roaches and encysted itself before 6 days of molting and reproduce sexually. Encystment helps in sexual reproduction during favourable conditions.

Note: Trichonympha lives suitably in termites and wood roaches because hosts have a diet containing wood and wood related items and hosts are unable to digest these cellulose-rich items thus, Trichonympha helps them to digest cellulose and convert it into glucose.