BIO 385 — Invertebrate Zoology
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Invertebrate Diversity
Phylum Platyhelminthes
The Flatworms

(Click on any image for larger version)

Platyhelminthes Characteristics

  • Triploblastic, acoelomate
  • Bilaterally symmetric
  • Cephalization; with central nervous system
  • Elongate, dorso-ventrally flattened
  • Incomplete gut (gastrovascular cavity) or lack gut
  • Free-living and parasitic forms

Class Turbellaria — Free-living Flatworms

Characteristics

  • Free-living; mostly aquatic
  • Epidermis ciliated
Dugesia
Planarian, Dugesia sp. (Order Tricladida), carbon-fed whole mount
See also labeled photo.
Dugesia section
Planarian, Dugesia sp. (Order Tricladida), stained cross-section (40x)
See also labeled photo.
Planaria
Brown Planarian, Dugesia trigrina (Order Tricladida)
Mesostoma
Freshwater flatworm, Mesostoma sp. (Order Rhabdocoela)
Stenostomum
A primitive, freshwater flatworm, Stenostomum sp. (Order Catenulida)
Planaria
Fresh-water planarians, possibly Phagocata velata (Order Tricladida), KY
LandP lanarian
Land Planarian, Bipalium kewense (Order Tricladida), a terrestrial flatworm native to SE Asia but widely introduced elsewhere; Phoenix, AZ
Planaria
Tapered Flatworm, Notoplana acticola (Order Polycladida), in tidepool, CA
speckled flatworm
Long Speckled Flatworm, Enchiridium punctatum (Order Polycladida), in tidepool, CA

Class Trematoda — Trematode Flukes

Characteristics

  • Internal parasites with often complex life cycles
  • Epidermis forms tegument
  • Attach to host via oral and ventral suckers
Sheep Fluke
Sheep Liver Fluke, Fasciola hepatica, a parasite of sheep livers.
See also labeled photo.
Sheep Fluke Larvae
Sheep Liver Fluke, Fasciola hepatica, Cercariae (left) and Miracidia (right) larval stages found in snails (stained whole mounts).
Schistosome
Schistosome, Schistosoma japonicum; fresh-water snails are intermediate host and various vertebrates are definitive host (stained whole mount).
Liver Fluke
Chinese Liver Fluke, Clonorchis sinensis; stained whole mount.
See also labeled photo.
Liver Fluke 2
Chinese Liver Fluke, Clonorchis sinensis; 2nd example.
See also labeled photo.

Class Cestoda — Tapeworms

Characteristics

  • Parasites of vertebrate guts
  • Epidermis forms tegument
  • Attach to host via anterior scolex
  • Trunk (strobila) greatly elongated, consists of numerous segmented proglottids
Dog Tapeworm Preserved
Dog Tapeworm, Taenia pisiformis, a common intestinal parasite of dogs and pigs
Dog Tapeworm
Dog Tapeworm,Taenia pisiformis, microscopic view of solex, proglottids.
See also labeled photo.
Sheep Tapeworm
Sheep Tapeworm, Moniezia expansa, stained slide of different body regions.
This page last updated 19 December 2020 by Udo M. Savalli ()
Images and text © Udo M. Savalli. All rights reserved.