Family. Tæniidæ, Ludwig, 1886.
Genus. Tænia, L., 1758.[286]
With the characters of the family. In the genus Cladotænia recognized by some authors, the testes encroach on the mid field and the uterine stem reaches the anterior end of the segment.
Tænia solium, L., p. p., 1767.
Syn.: Tænia cucurbitina, Pall., 1781; Tænia pellucida, Goeze, 1782; Tænia vulgaris, Werner, 1782; Tænia dentata, Gmel., 1790; Halysis solium, Zeder, 1800; Tænia humana armata, Brera, 1802; Tænia (Cystotænia) solium, Lkt., 1862.
The average length of the entire tapeworm is about 2 to 3 m., but may be even more; the head is globular, 0·6 to 0·8 to 1·0 mm. in diameter. The rostellum is short with a double circlet of hooks, twenty-two to thirty-two in number, usually twenty-six to twenty-eight; large and small hooks alternate regularly; the length of the large hooks is 0·16 to 0·18 mm., of the small ones 0·11 to 0·14 mm. The rostellum is sometimes pigmented. The suckers are hemispherical, 0·4 to 0·5 mm. in diameter. The neck is fairly thin and long (5 to 10 mm.). The proglottids, the number of which averages from 800 to 900, increase in size very gradually; at about 1 m. behind the head they are square and have the genitalia fully developed. Segments sufficiently mature for detachment measure 10 to 12 mm. in length by 5 to 6 mm. in breadth. The genital pores alternate fairly evenly at the lateral margin a little behind the middle of each segment. The fully developed uterus consists of a median trunk, with seven to ten lateral branches at either side, some of which are again ramified. The eggs are oval, the egg-shell very thin and delicate; the embryonal shell (embryophore) is thick, with radial stripes; it is of a pale yellowish colour, globular, and measures 31 µ to 36 µ in diameter; the oncospheres, with six hooks, are likewise globular, and measure 20 µ in diameter (fig. 238).
Malformations are not so common as in T. saginata; they consist in two or several proglottids being partly or entirely fused, formation of single club-shaped segments, fenestration of long or short series of segments and so-called double formation, in which the head has six suckers and the segments exhibit a Y-shaped transverse section. The oncospheres occasionally also possess more than six hooklets. Very slender specimens have led to the description of a particular species or variety (T. tenella).