Which statement describes the digestive exception seen in tapeworms of Platyhelminthes?

Which statement describes the digestive exception seen in tapeworms of Platyhelminthes?

• A. Tapeworms absorb food
• B. Tapeworms have a complete digestive tract
• C. Tapeworms digest food intracellularly
• D. Tapeworms secrete digestive enzymes into the gut

Answer: (A)

Tapeworms demonstrate a digestive strategy based on absorption rather than an internal digestive tract. These parasitic flatworms live in the host’s intestine and lack a mouth and an alimentary canal. Instead, nutrients from the host’s digested material cross the worm’s outer surface through a specialized syncytial tegument, with microtriches increasing surface area for efficient uptake. Because they rely on absorption across the body surface, they do not digest food within a gut or intracellularly, and they do not secrete digestive enzymes into a gut. This makes absorbing food the correct description of their digestive approach.

Tapeworms demonstrate a digestive strategy based on absorption rather than an internal digestive tract. These parasitic flatworms live in the host’s intestine and lack a mouth and an alimentary canal. Instead, nutrients from the host’s digested material cross the worm’s outer surface through a specialized syncytial tegument, with microtriches increasing surface area for efficient uptake. Because they rely on absorption across the body surface, they do not digest food within a gut or intracellularly, and they do not secrete digestive enzymes into a gut. This makes absorbing food the correct description of their digestive approach.