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Tapeworms are obligate internal parasites (endoparasites) of vertebrates and belong to the group called flatworms (Platyhelminthes). The majority of tapeworms are intestinal parasites, and most of the approximately 5000 known species are found in sharks and other fish. They can reach lengths of up to 30 meters and remain anchored in the host’s gut by a small, hook-bearing structure called the rostellum (or "head"). Tapeworms lack a digestive system and instead absorb nutrients directly through their body surface from the host, which can result in harm to the host organism. Tapeworms have complex life cycles that may involve multiple hosts, often from different animal groups. They are typically hermaphroditic, meaning that a single tapeworm has both male and female reproductive cells. The terminal body segments are densely packed with fertilized eggs, which are periodically shed and excreted with the host's feces. The eggs then await ingestion by a suitable host species to begin a new lifecycle.
