Taenia solium is charactersed by

Options

A. Absence of digestive tract
B. presence of hooks for adhesion
C. Externally divided body
D. all the above

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Taenia solium**: Taenia solium is commonly known as the pork tapeworm and belongs to the phylum Platyhelminthes, which includes flatworms.

2. **Absence of Digestive Tract**: One of the key characteristics of Taenia solium is that it lacks a digestive system. This is because it is a parasitic organism that absorbs nutrients directly from the host's intestines, making a digestive tract unnecessary.

3. **Presence of Hooks for Adhesion**: Taenia solium has specialized structures known as hooks that allow it to attach firmly to the intestinal wall of its host. This is crucial for its survival as it needs to remain attached to absorb nutrients.

4. **Externally Divided Body**: The body of Taenia solium is characterized by pseudo-segmentation. This means that while the outer body appears segmented, it does not reflect true segmentation seen in other organisms. The segments, known as proglottids, are formed from the ectoderm only.

5. **Conclusion**: Given the characteristics discussed, the correct answer to the question "Taenia solium is characterized by" is "all of the above." This includes the absence of a digestive tract, presence of hooks for adhesion, and an externally divided body.

**Final Answer**: All of the above.

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