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[Taenia saginata] [T. solium]

Proglottids of Taenia spp. Gravid proglottids are longer than wide and the two species, T. solium and T. saginata, differ in the number of primary lateral uterine branches: T. solium contains 7-13 lateral branches and T. saginata 12-30 lateral branches.

A	B

A: Mature proglottid of T. saginata, stained with carmine. Note the number of primary uterine branches (>12).
B: Mature proglottid of T. saginata, stained with India ink.  Note the number of primary uterine branches (>12).  Image courtesy of the Orange County Public Health Laboratory, Santa Ana, CA.

C	D

C: Mature proglottid of T. solium, stained with carmine.  Note the number of primary uterine branches (<13).
D: Mature proglottid of T. solium, stained with India ink.  Note the number of primary uterine branches (<13) in the lower specimen.

E	F

E, F: Proglottids of T. saginata.  Figure E shows an unstained proglottid.  Figure F shows the same proglottid injected with India ink, demonstrating the number of primary uterine branches (>12).  Images courtesy of the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory.