Which region of the large intestine contains the taeniae coli and haustra?

• A. Sigmoid colon
• B. Cecum
• C. Colon
• D. Rectum

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is the muscular arrangement of the large intestine and how it shapes its surface. The taeniae coli are three thick bands of longitudinal muscle that run along the wall of the colon. Their continuous contraction pulls the wall into small bulges called haustra, giving the colon its characteristic segmented appearance.

This combination—taeniae coli plus haustra—is a distinctive feature of the colon. The cecum and rectum don’t show this same pattern: the rectum lacks haustra, and the cecum doesn’t display the pronounced taeniae-formed segmentation as you move along its wall. That’s why the region that contains both structures is the colon, the portion of the large intestine where these features are present along its length.