Question

Which of the following is contained in the gynaecophoric canal of Schistosoma?
A. Eggs
B. Larvae
C. Male
D. Female organism

Answer 1

Hint: Schistosoma is collectively referred to as the blood flukes. These are parasitic flatworms blamed for a really large bunch of human infections regarded by the WHO to become the second most social-economically disruptive parasitic infection (after malaria).

Complete step by step answer: The gynecophoric canal situated in the male worm ofSchistosoma, is often a ventrolateral groove in which all the females live for sexual maturity. Gynaecophoric canal protein (GCP) is a protein whose presence in male worms is constrained to the gynaecophoric canal and has been involved in female reproductive maturation. There seems to be a canal originating from each testicle, that is linked to a single deferential that constricts into a reservoir, the seminal vesicle, centred just at the opening of the gynaecophoric canal. Copula occurs through the mating of male and female sexual orifices. The adult female worm lives within the gynaecophoric canal of the adult male, which is a modification of the male's ventral surface, creating a groove. Coupled worms travel against blood flow to their eventual location in the circulation, whereby eggs production begins (>32 days).
Hence, the correct answer is option D.

Additional information: Schistosoma is the most prevalent parasite among humans. It's listed as an ignored tropical disease. Unlike some other flukes (trematodes) wherein the sexes really aren't distinct (monoecious), Schistosomes are peculiar with the male and female reproductive structures, i.e. (dioecious).

Note: The gynaecophoric canal of Schistosoma males develop a groove or canal to hold the female counterpart in order to undergo fertilization and produce eggs (sexual maturation). The procedure and steps before copulation take place in snail as one of the hosts, whereas the actual maturation takes place in the human host.