Abstract
Cestodes are endoparasites and exhibit a great degree of difference in morphology and physiology within the same body. Raillietina tetragona infects domestic chick, Gallus gallus. The present study investigated the transition in carbohydrate metabolites in relation to the differentiation of proglottids of Raillietina tetragona, infecting domestic chick. The glycogen content was estimated by Carroll et al (1956). It was 37.81±2.79, 44.71±1.78 and 34.05±4.02 mg glucose/g fresh weight of tissue in immature, mature and gravid regions; total carbohydrates in immature, mature and gravid regions were 23±3.94, 41.32±5.05 and 34.53± 3.58 mg glucose/g fresh weight respectively where as pyruvate levels were 4.78 ±0.40, 4.86 ±0.50 and 4.60±0.20 µg of pyruvate /gm fresh weight of parasite in immature, mature and gravid proglottids respectively. The data obtained from adult worm revealed that higher levels of activities were associated with mature and immature segments whereas the gravid segment was having low levels of all these metabolites. They respire by anaerobic and semi-aerobic modes that yield lesser amount of energy, and therefore they store higher levels of glycogen.
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