The taenia solium is also known as pork tapeworm. It acts as a parasite and is found everywhere in the world. They occur in the small intestine of human and infect the muscles of pig which act as a secondary host. They do not have an alimentary canal and the digested food is diffused through the body surface. They do not require oxygen for their survival. They are hermaphrodite which show self fertilization and have indirect development. Their body is divided into scolex, neck and strobila. The scolex bears a cone which is mobile and is known as rostellum. The rostellum has multiple hooks placed in two circles. Hooks of anterior circlet are larger than posterior ones. The scolex also has multiple suckers which help in the attachment. The neck grows in size and form many segments known as proglottids. They form the strobila which is the main body. The strobila has false segments which are of different types and include immature proglottids, mature proglottids and gravid proglottids. The immature are broader without any reproductive organs. The mature have reproductive organs and a gravid is also present which the oldest proglottid. They are broad and longer with fertilized eggs. The shedding of proglottids occurs with the formation of excretory pore. It is present at the posterior most part of proglottid. The mouth and anus are not present. It causes taeniasis which causes abdominal pain, restlessness, anemia and indigestion.
There is another species of taenia known as taenia saginata. It is also known as beef tapeworm. It occurs in the intestine of human being who eats beef. They have intermediate hosts like cattle and buffaloes. Their body is divided into scolex, neck and strobila. They are longer as compared with the other species of taenia and the person gets infected with half cooked beef.
