![]() ![]() Larger animals have larger intestines-and bigger tapeworms. TAPEWORMS USUALLY NEED MORE THAN ONE HOST.ĪdultTaenia saginata tapeworm. The parasite’s host then poops out either eggs or egg-filled segments … and that’s when things get interesting. As the tapeworm adds newer segments near the head, older segments move down the body. MUCH OF THEIR BODY IS FOR MAKING BABY TAPEWORMS.īeyond the “head” and a sort of “neck,” a tapeworm is just a series of segments, each with its own male and female sexual parts. Tapeworms are also covered in little villus-like bumps that help them soak up more of whatever their host is eating. Your small intestine has finger-like bumps called villi that basically add more intestinal surface, creating extra space for absorbing food. Instead, they use their specialized outer surface to absorb nutrients and excrete waste. No matter what weapons the tapeworm has at its disposal, the purpose is the same: to keep it anchored in the intestinal wall so that its body can dangle free and soak up nutrients. Some have circular suckers or grooves that work like suction cups. To do this, they’ve evolved specialized “heads” that carry an arsenal of attachment devices. For one thing, it’s regularly rocked with muscular contractions that push along digestive material and waste. Image credit: Rjgalindo via Wikipedia // CC BY-SA 3.0Īdult tapeworms live in animal intestines-and that’s not an easy place to call home. Head of a Taenia solium, or pork tapeworm.
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