| hexacanth | The motile six-hooked first-stage larva of cyclophyllidean cestodes; it emerges from the egg and actively claws its way through the intermediate host's intestine prior to development into the next larval stage; e.g., the hexacanth of Taenia saginata, which penetrates the intestine of a cow that ingested the egg, then forms a cysticercus in the muscles of the intermediate host. Synonym: oncosphere. Origin: hexa-+ G. Akantha, hook or thorn (05 Mar 2000) |
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| hexacanth embryo | The embryo of tapeworms of the subclass Cestoda, such as Taenia saginata, characterised by three pairs of hooks used for penetration through the gut of an intermediate host. Synonym: oncosphere embryo. (05 Mar 2000) |