PARASITE LIPS
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Meet the roundworm (Contracaecum rudolphii), also known as a nematode, of which there are over 30,000 described species. These invertebrates are parasites, and can find their way into the intestinal tracts of humans who come into contact with either infested soil or dirt, or seafood. This image shows a roundworm’s head under a coloured scanning electron microscope. The head is made up of three dorsal lips (pink), each one equipped with small sensory papillae, much like those on a human tongue. These parasites also have a strong muscular pharynx, allowing them to easily crush any eaten tissue collected from their hosts.