The anatomy and life history of the fowl tapeworm (Amoebotaenia sphenoides)

Abstract

(1) Cysticercoids, of which the hooks resemble those of Amoebotaenia sphenoides, were found in earthworms collected in a fowl-run infested with this tapeworm. (2) Earthworms [Ocnerodrilus (Hyogenia) africanus, Beddard, var. nov.] were artificially infected with this cysticercoid by placing them in a hox of foil to which droppings of the infested fowls were added. (3) The development of the cysticercoid was followed by means of a series of stages obtained from artificially infected earthworms. (4) Clean chicks, fed with earthworms containing the cysticercoid, became infected with Amoebotaenia sphenoides, while the controls remained uninfected. (5) The cysticercoid needs about fourteen days for its complete development and the tapeworm about four weeks.