| Species |
Size |
Appearance of Uterus |
Other |
| Taenia solium |
12 mm in length × 5-7 mm wide. |
Central "stem" or trunk with 7-13 main lateral branches on each side. |
Usually on surface of fecal material. May be in short chains of 2-3 proglottids. |
| Taenia saginata |
16-20 mm long × 5-7 mm wide. |
Central "stem" or trunk with 15-20 main lateral branches on each side. |
Usually on surface of fecal material. May be single detached proglottids. |
| Diphyllobothrium latum |
2-4 mm long × 10-12 mm wide. Broader than long. |
Coiled into a rosette appearance. |
Occasionally, portion of worm may be passed. Egg is usual diagnostic stage. |
| Dipylidium caninum |
12 mm long × 3 mm wide. Pumpkin-seed shape; tapers at each end. |
Uterus not visible. Proglottid filled with capsules containing eggs. |
Proglottids may be passed singly or in chains. Often resemble rice grains in stool. |
| Hymenolepis nana |
0.2-0.3 mm long × 0.8-0.9 mm wide. Broader than long. |
Uterus not visible. Proglottid filled with eggs. |
Proglottids usually disintegrate in the intestinal tract and are rarely seen in stools. Egg is usual diagnostic stage. |
| Hymenolepis diminuta |
0.7-0.8 mm long × 3-4 mm wide. Broader than long. |
Uterus not visible. Proglottid filled with eggs. |
Proglottids usually disintegrate in the intestinal tract and are rarely seen in stools. Egg is usual diagnostic stage. |
