Bio project

Flatworms

Pylum: Platyhelminthes4 Classes: Turbellaria, Monogenea, Trematoda, and Cestoidea

A Role in the Food Chain: A flatworm's role in the food chain is to regulate the populations of protozoans, rotifers, algae, and zooplankton (in ponds).

What makes a Flatworm a Flatworm!1) Bilaterally Symmetrical2) 3 layers of tissue; with organ and organelles3)Body contains no internal cavity4) Possesses a blind gut (mouth no anus)5) Has protonephridial excretory organ instead of anus6) Has nervous system of long tudinal fibres7) Dorsoventrally flattened8) Hermaphrodites (sexual reporduction) 9) Feed on other animals (smaller)10) occur in all major habitats

Flatworms are carnivores and tend to feed on smaller organisms.

Most flatworms live in marine environments, but sometimes on land as well. Found most common under rocks offend try to avoid sunlight.

Life Cycle of a Heraphrodite Flatworm

Scientific Name: Platyhelminthes

Interesting Adaptations:-If a flatworm is cut in half the other part grows back.-Scientists can train flatworms to do a simple task such as finding water in a maze; if one side is cut in half then taught the other half will learn faster then the original. -When a flatworm is starved it had the ability to shrink to a hatching size but when fed again it returns to orginal size.- Large flatworms use muscles to move around.