Tape"worm` (?), n. (Zoöl.)
Any one of numerous species of cestode worms belonging to Tænia
and many allied genera. The body is long, flat, and composed of numerous
segments or proglottids varying in shape, those toward the end of the body
being much larger and longer than the anterior ones, and containing the
fully developed sexual organs. The head is small, destitute of a mouth, but
furnished with two or more suckers (which vary greatly in shape in
different genera), and sometimes, also, with hooks for adhesion to the
walls of the intestines of the animals in which they are parasitic. The
larvæ (see Cysticercus) live in the flesh of various
creatures, and when swallowed by another animal of the right species
develop into the mature tapeworm in its intestine. See Illustration
in Appendix.
&fist; Three species are common parasites of man: the pork
tapeworm (Tænia solium), the larva of which is found in
pork; the beef tapeworm (T. mediocanellata), the larva of
which lives in the flesh of young cattle; and the broad tapeworm
(Bothriocephalus latus) which is found chiefly in the inhabitants of
the mountainous regions of Europe and Asia. See also Echinococcus,
Cysticercus, Proglottis, and 2d Measles, 4.
Tape"worm` (?), n. (Zoöl.)
Any one of numerous species of cestode worms belonging to Tænia
and many allied genera. The body is long, flat, and composed of numerous
segments or proglottids varying in shape, those toward the end of the body
being much larger and longer than the anterior ones, and containing the
fully developed sexual organs. The head is small, destitute of a mouth, but
furnished with two or more suckers (which vary greatly in shape in
different genera), and sometimes, also, with hooks for adhesion to the
walls of the intestines of the animals in which they are parasitic. The
larvæ (see Cysticercus) live in the flesh of various
creatures, and when swallowed by another animal of the right species
develop into the mature tapeworm in its intestine. See Illustration
in Appendix.
&fist; Three species are common parasites of man: the pork
tapeworm (Tænia solium), the larva of which is found in
pork; the beef tapeworm (T. mediocanellata), the larva of
which lives in the flesh of young cattle; and the broad tapeworm
(Bothriocephalus latus) which is found chiefly in the inhabitants of
the mountainous regions of Europe and Asia. See also Echinococcus,
Cysticercus, Proglottis, and 2d Measles, 4.
