Morphologic descriptions of Taenia asiatica sp. n.

Among taeniid tapeworms infecting humans through pork or beef, Taenia solium Linnaeus 1758 and Taenia saginata Goeze 1782 have already been known. Based on the morphologic characteristics of adult and metacestodes of Asian Taenia saginata, the third kind of human taeniid tapeworm known to distribute in Asian countries, a new species name of Taenia asiatica is proposed. In addition to the known biology in their intermediate hosts, T. asiatica was different morphologically from Taenia saginata Goeze 1782 in having the unarmed rostellum on the scolex of adult, the large number of 'uterine twigs' and the existence of 'posterior protuberance'. These structures in the gravid proglottids were used as taxonomic keys in taeniid tapeworms for the first time. T. asiatica metacestode (Cysticercus viscerotropica) was different morphologically from T. saginata metacestode (Cysticercus bovis) in having wartlike formations on the external surface of the bladder wall.