Ophiotaenia

In spite of the "taenia" in its name, this is a proteocephalid cestode. Its scolex (upper left) has four suckers but no hooks. Its elongate mature proglottid (shown in the two photos at the bottom, anterior of worm to the left) has a posterior ovary, lateral bands of vitellaria, and a central uterus. There are many testes on either side of the uterus. The genital pore is marginal, and the upper right photo presents an unusually clear view of the surrounding structures. The male system opens anterior to the female system The oval cirrus pouch is visible, and within it is a withdrawn cirrus. The tubular vas deferens travels from the cirrus pouch towards the midline. The female genital pore leads to a vagina which travels medially until it is obscured by the uterus. The upper right photo shows an everted cirrus (compare to the retracted cirrus in the lower left photo).