Hymenolepis Nana - Morphology

Morphology

As its name implies (Greek: nanos – dwarf), it is a small species, seldom exceeding 40 mm long and 1 mm wide. The scolex bears a retractable rostellum armed with a single circle of 20 to 30 hooks. The scolex also has four suckers, or a tetrad. The neck is long and slender, and the segments are wider than long. Genital pores are unilateral, and each mature segment contains three testes. After apolysis gravid segments disintegrate, releasing eggs, which measure 30 µm to 47 µm in diameter. The oncosphere is covered with a thin, hyaline, outer membrane and an inner, thick membrane with polar thickenings that bear several filaments. The heavy embryophores that give taeniid eggs their characteristic striated appearance are lacking in this and the other families of tapeworms infecting humans. Rostellum remains invaginated in the apex of the organ. Rostellar hooklets are shaped like tuning fork. Neck is long and slender, the region of growth. Strobila starts with short, narrow proglottids, followed with mature ones.