Planaria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Planaria | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Planaria torva | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Platyhelminthes |
| Order: | Tricladida |
| Family: | Planariidae |
| Genus: | Planaria OF Müller, 1776 |
Planaria is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. Due to its excellent ability to regenerate, species of Planaria have also been used as model organisms in regeneration studies.[1] When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual.[2] When decapitated, they retain their memories.[3]
Currently the genus Planaria is defined as freshwater triclads with oviducts that unite to form a common oviduct without embracing the bursa copulatrix and with an adenodactyl present in the male atrium. The testes occur along the whole body.[4]
Planaria originally have habitats in dark, murky water which results in such sensitivity (Paskin et al., 2014). They are also sensitive to other stimuli such as chemical gradients, vibration, magnetic and electric fields (Deochand et al., 2018). Their central nervous system includes the anterior (head, brain and eyes) and middle (abdominal trunk and pharynx) (Deochand et al., 2018).
Diet
The food of Planaria species includes freshwater gastropods, tubificid worms, and freshwater arthropods, such as isopods of the genus Asellus and chironomid larvae.[5] In the United Kingdom, P. torva is a successful predator of the invasive New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus jenkinsi).[6]
