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Flatworms
Fun Facts:
Flatworms can self fertilize, meaning they do not need to mate with others to reproduce (they can clone themselves!), even though they can sexually reproduce with other flatworms as well.
About 80% of flatworms are parasitic and are estimated to live inside 200 million people worldwide.
Use their proboscis (needle-like tubular organ) for hunting and defense. Their proboscis shoots out at high speeds often with a stick, venomous mucus.
Key Characteristics:
Incomplete Digestive Tract: have a mouth but no anus .
Reproduction: are hermaphrodites, male and female sex organs are present in all flatworms.
Regeneration: can regenerate entire body from very small fragments.
Specialized cells: have flame cells that act like kidneys. They help to remove waste and maintain water to salt balance in the organism.
Symmetry: bilateral
Categories of Flatworms
Categories of Flatworms
Click the photo of the category you want to learn more about!
Turbellaria
Turbellaria
Free-Living
Trematoda
Trematoda
Parasitic Flukes
Monogenea
Monogenea
Ectoparasites
Cestoda
Cestoda
Internal Parasites
Flatworms Explained!
Flatworms Explained!
Flatworms have Bilateral Symmetry
Flatworms have Bilateral Symmetry
Body plan can be divided straight down the middle into two halves, with a matching right and left half.
Simple Flatworm Body Plan
Simple Flatworm Body Plan
Trematode Life Cycle
Trematode Life Cycle
Trematodes are obligate internal parasites. Obligate parasites are those that need must live inside a host to survive, grow and reproduce. Trematodes are special because they require at least two hosts to complete their life cycle.
Distribution of Marine Playhelminthes Worldwide
Distribution of Marine Playhelminthes Worldwide
The orange represents where Platyhelminthes can be found in marine environments, or in the ocean. Platyhelminthes are also found on land and in freshwater.
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