Taenia

Taenia ovis

Taenia ovis
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Platyhelminthes
Class	Cestoda
Order	Cyclophyllidea
Family	Taeniidae
Genus	Taenia
Species	T. ovis

Also known as:

Cysticercus ovis Ovine cysticercosis Sheep measles

Hosts

Intermediate host: sheep, and goats.

Definitive host: dogs and foxes.

Identification

T. ovis is a large tapeworm, usually around 1m in length. It has numerous hooks.

Life Cycle

The intermediate host ingests cysticercus, which hatch in the intestine and later infect the skeletal muscle and the heart. The definitive host becomes infected by ingestion of the intermediate host.

The prepatent period for T. ovis is 6-9 months.

References

Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing

Taenia pisiformis

Taenia pisiformis
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Platyhelminthes
Class	Cestoda
Order	Cyclophyllidea
Family	Taeniidae
Genus	Taenia
Species	T. pisiformis

Also known as:

Cysticercus pisiformis

Hosts

Definitive host: Dogs and foxes.

Intermediate host: Rabbits and hares.

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.

References

Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing

Taenia multiceps

Taenia multiceps
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Platyhelminthes
Class	Cestoda
Order	Cyclophyllidea
Family	Taeniidae
Genus	Taenia
Species	T. multiceps

Also known as:

Multiceps multiceps Coenurus cerebralis Gid Staggers

Hosts

Definitive host: Dogs and foxes.

Intermediate host: Cattle, sheep, pig, horses and man.

Identification

T. multiceps are around 5cm in length.

Life Cycle

The intermediate host is infected via ingestion of the parasite eggs. These eggs hatch in the small intestine. The parasite the migrates to the spinal cord and brain via the blood stream. The definitive host becomes infected when it eats the spinal bord, or brain of the intermediate host.

References

Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing

Taenia serialis

Taenia serialis
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Platyhelminthes
Class	Cestoda
Order	Cyclophyllidea
Family	Taeniidae
Genus	Taenia
Species	T. serialis'

Also known as:

Coenurus serialis

Hosts

Definitive host:Dog.

Intermediate host: Rabbit.

Identification

T. serialis is around 0.5m, with two prominent rows of hooks.

Life Cycle

The intermediate host is infected through ingestion of the tapeworm egg, which is shed by the dog, which acts as the definitive host. These develop and form cysts in the intermuscular connective tissues of rabbits, often causing a soft subdermal swelling. . The definitive host then becomes infected through ingestion of the metacestode.

References

Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing

Taenia taeniaeformis

Taenia taeniaformis
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Platyhelminthes
Class	Cestoda
Order	Cyclophyllidea
Family	Taeniidae
Genus	Taenia
Species	T. taeniaformis

Also known as:

Hydatigera taeniaeformis Taenia crassicollis Cysticercus fasciolaris Strobilocercus fasciolaris

Hosts

Definitive host: Cats, and foxes.

Intermediate host: Mice, rats, rabbits, and squirrels.

Identification

The adult is around 70 cm, and has a large scolex.

Life Cycle

The eggs are past in faeces, which are ingested by the intermediate host. The metacestode matures in the intermediate host, before being ingested by the definitive host.

References

Taylor, M.A, Coop, R.L., Wall,R.L. (2007) Veterinary Parasitology Blackwell Publishing