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General Characteristics
They exhibit bilateral symmetry: anterior and posterior ends are different; so are the dorsal (top) and ventral (bottom) surfaces The platyhelminths also exhibit some degree of cephalization Commonly referred to as the 'flatworms' because their bodies are dorsoventrally flattened. They are acoelomates This phylum (and all remaining phyla) possess 3 germ layers (=triploblastic) The mesoderm (third germ layer) gives rise to muscles, various organ systems, and the parenchyma, a form of solid tissue containing cells and fibers
Excretory System (osmoregulation) A network of water collecting tubules adjacent to flame cells or a protonephridia When cilia beat they move water into the tubules and out the body through pores called nephridiopores
Muscular System
Below the epidermis are layers of circular and longitudinal muscle fibers; used in locomotion
Nervous System Includes: anterior cerebral ganglia, longitudinal nerve cords, and some lateral nerves Most free living planarians and parasitic larval forms possess a variety of sensory organs (e.g., eye spots, statocysts, rheoreceptors)
Reproductive System Most are capable of some form of asexual reproduction (e.g., many turbellarians reproduce by fission) Most flatworms are hermaphroditic; however, they often pair with other individuals to exchange gametes
Platyhelminthes Taxonomy
Class Turbellaria
Free-living flatworms; mostly marine organisms Range in size from microscopic (interstitial species between sand grains) to extremely large (two feet)
Locomotion
Most move by means of cilia and mucous Muscle contractions also permit turning, twisting and folding of the body
Nutrition Turbellarians are carnivores and prey on other animals or eat dead animal remains. Planarians have a muscular pharynx that they can insert into their prey and then pump to bring in food fragments These animals have a highly divided gut to greatly increase the surface area for digestion and absorption
Senses
They have well developed sensory structures, including eyespots, mechanoreceptors, and chemoreceptors
Reproduction
Planarians are capable of asexual reproduction via fission Also capable of regeneration; exhibit both anterior- posterior and lateral polarity They are hermaphrodites but usually exhibit cross-fertilization The penis of some turbellarians is modified as a hollow stylet; sperm tranfer is by hypodermic impregnation, in which the copulating partners stab each other and inject sperm
Class Trematoda
Flukes that live as parasites either on or in other organisms. Outer body lacks cilia; tegument has a layer of glycoproteins that are important in protection and absorption Possess 2 suckers: 1. Oral sucker which attaches to organs of the host 2. Ventral sucker or acetabulum; used to attach to host tissues
Types of Hosts
Often have complex life cycles that alternate between sexual and asexual stages. Most require at least 2 different kinds of hosts to complete their life cycle:
1. Definitive host (primary host) The host in which the parasite matures and reproduces (sexually) The host in which eggs are released 2. Intermediate host Hosts in which larval stages develop and undergo asexual reproduction Results in an increase in the number of the individuals
Schistosoma
Schistosoma spp. is a common blood fluke of Southeast Asia that causes shistosomiasis Humans are the definitive host; snails are the intermediate host In humans its eggs ultimately penetrates and damages intestinal tissue and tissue of the bladder A source of constant inflammation and eventually leads to deterioration of liver, spleen and other organs
Class Cestoda
General Morphology Nonciliated tegument composed of glycoprotein The anterior region is called a scolex; often armed with suckers and hooks
Extending from the neck is a series of proglottids; contain the sex organs and eggs; no digestive system Mature eggs released through an opening in the proglottid or leave the host when the proglottids are separated from the main body of the worm.