Platyhelminthes

E15742

Platyhelminthes is a phylum of simple, soft-bodied, bilaterally symmetrical invertebrates commonly known as flatworms, which includes both free-living and parasitic species.

Aliases (2)

Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf animal phylum
taxon
bodyPlan triploblastic
bodyShape dorsoventrally flattened
bodySymmetry bilateral symmetry
cephalization present
circulatorySystem absent
coelomType acoelomate
commonName flatworms
development spiral cleavage
digestiveSystem gastrovascular cavity
incomplete digestive tract
domain Eukaryota
excretorySystem protonephridia with flame cells
feedingType absorptive nutrition in many parasitic forms
carnivorous in many free-living forms
germLayers ectoderm
endoderm
mesoderm
habitat freshwater environments
marine environments
terrestrial moist habitats
hasFeature gas exchange through body surface
high regenerative capacity in many species
lack of specialized respiratory organs
many species are endoparasites
some species are ectoparasites
includesClass Cestoda
Monogenea
Trematoda
Turbellaria
kingdom Animalia
larvalStages present in many groups
lifestyle free-living
parasitic
locomotion cilia in many small free-living species
muscular undulations
nervousSystem ladder-like nervous system
notableMember Dugesia
Schistosoma mansoni
Taenia solium
parasiticOn invertebrates
vertebrates
reproduction asexual reproduction
sexual reproduction
respiratorySystem absent
scientificNameAuthorship Gegenbaur, 1859
sexualSystem mostly hermaphroditic
skeletonType lacking true skeleton

Referenced by (4)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Platyhelminthes ("Turbellaria")
includesClass
Animalia
includesPhylum
Lophotrochozoa
includesTaxon
Platyhelminthes ("Dugesia")
notableMember

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