Tapeworm facts for kids
Tapeworms are a type of flatworm that look like long, segmented ribbons. They are also known as Cestoda. These creatures are parasites, which means they live inside another animal or human, called a host, to survive. You might find them in undercooked meat.
Tapeworms can grow very long, sometimes up to 30 to 36 feet (10–12 meters)! They don't have a mouth or a stomach. Instead, they eat by soaking up food directly through their skin, which is called the epidermis.
Contents
What Tapeworms Look Like
The head of a tapeworm is quite special. It has four strong suckers and two rings of tiny hooks. These help the tapeworm attach itself firmly to the inside of its host.
The body of a tapeworm is made up of many small pieces, called segments. Each segment is amazing because it can produce eggs! Sometimes, these little segments break off from the tapeworm's body. They then leave the host's body, usually through their poop. These segments, full of eggs, can then be eaten by another animal, which becomes the next host.
Tapeworm Life Cycle
Tapeworms are hermaphrodites, meaning each tapeworm has both male and female parts. This allows them to reproduce. Often, two tapeworms inside the same host can fertilize each other.
Tapeworms have a special life cycle that involves two different hosts. The first host is called the 'intermediate host'. For example, pigs or cows can be intermediate hosts for human tapeworms. The second host is called the 'definitive host'. This is where the tapeworm grows up and reproduces. For some tapeworms, humans are the definitive hosts.
How Tapeworms Get Food
Since tapeworms don't have a gut or a stomach, they can't digest food like we do. Instead, they absorb all the nutrients they need directly through their skin. They simply soak up the food that their host has already digested.
Signs of Tapeworms
If a person or animal has tapeworms, they might lose weight. They could also feel weaker than usual because the tapeworm is taking their food.
-
A tapeworm head, called a scolex, showing its four suckers and two rows of hooks.
Images for kids
-
A diagram related to tapeworm studies.
