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| Taenia pisiformis | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Platyhelminthes |
| Class | Cestoda |
| Order | Cyclophyllidea |
| Family | Taeniidae |
| Genus | Taenia |
| Species | T. pisiformis |
Also known as: Cysticercus pisiformis
Hosts
Intermediate host: Rabbits and hares.
Definitive host: Dogs and foxes.
Identification
T. pisiformis is around 2m in length, and have large scolexes and hooks.
Life Cycle
Infection of the intermediate host is through ingestion of the tapeworm eggs shed by the dogs. The hatch in the small intestine of the intermediate host, they then continue to develop in the liver and the abdominal cavity.
The definitive host is infected by ingestion of the cysticercus. The prepatent period of T. pisinformis is around 7 weeks. It is similar to T. hydatigena, except that the cysticerci are pea-sized and are found on the omentum of rabbits.
Literature Search
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Taenia pisiformis publications
References
Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing