Joyeuxiella pasqualei has a scolex with four suckers and a retractable cylindric rostellum with thornlike hooks. Structurally, the adult parasite form is similar to
Dipylidium caninum, which can lead to confusion in identification, but only in its small to medium size. Distinction can be made in the gravid proglottid egg packets, which contain only a single hexacanth embryo covered by uterine material in the genus
Joyeuxiella compared to
Dipylidium. Within the hexacanth embryo, three pairs of hooklets are often visible. Additionally, specimens of
Joyeuxiella can be distinguished from
Diplopylidium because the former has rose-thorn shaped hooks, whereas the latter has claw-hammer shaped hooks similar to taeniid tapeworms. Paired genital atria are found in the anterior half of each tapeworm segment.
Joyeuxiella pasqualei has a conical rostellum with egg capsules located mediolaterally to longitudinal excretory (osmoregulatory) vessels. Testes are anterior to the vasa deferentia.
Joyeuxiella fuhrmanni, on the other hand, is similar in shape to
J. pasqualei, but it has no testes anterior to the vas deferens and the egg capsules are located medially to the longitudinal excretory vessels.
Joyeuxiella echinorhynchoides have a long, cylindrical rostellum as well as egg capsules located medial to the longitudinal excretory canals. == Life cycle ==