These proglottids were recovered from the feces of a rat infected with the adult tapeworm. The cyclophyllidean tapeworms do not have a uterine pore, and instead shed eggs by detaching entire sections of proglottids. Mechanical action in the host's gut often breaks these large segments into smaller numbers of proglottids, or even damages the walls of the proglottid which results in release of individual eggs in the host's feces. An intact proglottid may help the eggs resist desiccation and may also influence the attractiveness of the parasite to potential intermediate hosts.