By: Jazmyne Pinkney & DeShawn Biggers Platyhelminthes By: Jazmyne Pinkney & DeShawn Biggers

General Characteristics They are the simplest animals with biltareal symmetry. They are flatworms. They don’t have a hollow cavity between endoderm and mesoderm. They’re three germ layers. “Acoelomate” give flatworms the thin, flat bodies for which they are named.

Adaptations Flatworms adapt to freshwater marine.

Interesting Facts They have hair under their bodies to help them walk or crawl. Flatworms can glide over surfaces. There stomachs are a sack.

Classification of Amphilina Foliacea Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Platyhelminthes Class: Cestoda Order: Amphilinidea Family: Amphilinidae Genus: Amphilina Species: Amphilina Foliacea Size- The maximum length is 65mm, the maximum width is 30mm. Habitat- Are parasitic on aquatic animals, mainly living in the body cavity of freshwater, marine fish, and sometimes in turtles. Food Source- takes in nutrients from the definitive host, fish.

Classification of Pseudoceros ferrugineus Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Platyhelminthes Class: Turbellaria Order: Polycadida Family: Pseudoceritidae Genus: Pseudoceros Species: Pseudoceros ferrugineus Size- 18mm long x 11mm wide Habitat- freshwater marine Food sources- sponges, ectoprocts, barnacles, and tunicates.

Classification of Dugesia tigrina Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Platyhelminthes Class: Turbellaria Order: Tricladida Family: Planariidae Genus: Dugesia Species: Dugesia tigrina Size- length of 10-15 mm and width of 3mm. Habitat- freshwater Food sources- various invertebrates

Videos http://www.oceanfootage.com/video_clips/TO01_108 http://www.oceanfootage.com/video_clips/TO01_107

EXTRA CREDIT! Human interaction can be bad with flatworms because there are many types of flatworms and some are harmful to humans, such as tapeworms. NO, humans do not eat flatworms. NO, humans do not hunt flatworms. NO, flatworms are not endangered. I don’t think there’s much a human can do to protect a flatworm.

Vocabulary Bilateral symmetry- left and right sides of an organism can be divided. Invertebrate- an animal without a backbone. Platyhelminthes- the scientific literature name for flatworms.

References http://tolweb.org/ http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/pictures/Platyhelminthes.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatworm http://pioneerunion.ca.schoolwebpages.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=2781 http://p-ferrugineus.livejournal.com/618.html