Roundworm is widespread throughout the world. They live as an endoparasite in the intestine of human and some other animal. Compared to other worms the roundworms are quite bigger in size, like an earthworm.
Difference between the male and female roundworms:
Male worm – The male reproductive system consists of a testis, sperm duct, seminal vesicle, and an ejaculatory duct.
(1) The worm is small in size. Male Round Worm are thinner around. The male roundworm is smaller than the females and is usually 15-17 cm in length and 3 mm in diameter.
(2) The posterior end of the male worm is pointed and bend. Males are hooked at the posterior. The posterior portion of the body of the male roundworm is curved ventrally with a conical tip.
(3) Cloaca is present in the male roundworm. Its cloacal and genital apertures are not separate.
(4) Males have pineal, spices or spine-like extensions nears its posterior opening. Two equal chitinoid copulatory spicules or penial setae are present in cloacal aperture (anus).
(5) Excretory materials and reproductive cells are discharged through the cloacal aperture of the male worm.
(6) The ejaculatory duct of the male reproductive system opens into the rectum to form cloaca, through which faeces and sperms are eliminated.
(7) Males have no or lace opening of reproductive opening on the posterior third of its body. There are spines like penial setae behind the cloacal aperture.
(8) There are 50 pairs genital papillae in front of the cloaca and 5 pairs behind the cloaca, sometimes called pre-anal papillae (50) and post-anal papillae (5).
(9) The vulvar waist is absent in male roundworm.
(10) Males have one straight reproductive organ tube.
Female worm – These organs, are situated in the posterior half of the body of the worm. Eggs are produced at the posterior part of the ovary.
(1) Pernell worm is larger in size than the male worm. Females Round Worm are wider around. Female roundworms are larger than the males and are usually 20-25 cm in length and 5 mm in diameter.
(2) The end behind the tail of the female worm is straight and blunt. Females are straight at the posterior end. The posterior end is straight and bluntly pointed to a conical end.
(3) Cloaca is absent in female roundworm. It has separate cloacal and genital apertures. Genital papillae are absent in female roundworm.
(4) Females lack structures in pineal, spices or spine near its posterior opening.
(5) In the female worm, the excretory products are discharged through the cloacal aperture and the productive cells through the genital aperture.
(6) Females have a large reproductive opening on the posterior third of its body. (7) There are no penial setae in the female worm.
(7) Penial setae are absent in female roundworm.
(8) Anus and genital aperture (gonopore) open separately in the female roundworm.
(9) The vulvar waist is present in the female roundworm.
(10) Female has two reproductive organ tubes.
