Platyhelminthes

Acoelomate Flatworms
Todays Objective
TSW take notes on the phylum
Platyhelminthes including economic
importance, an overview of class
characteristics, and ecological niches.
General Flatworm Characteristics
Acoelomate no body cavity coelom-
solid mesenchyme (mesoderm)
First phylum to show a definite cellular
mesoderm
Bilaterally symmetrical
Triploblastic; 3 distinct tissue or germ
layers
Dorsoventrally flattened
General Characteristics (cont.)
Respiration by diffusion
Digestive system extensively branched
One opening for feeding and waste
removal
Lack an anus
Primitive kidneys protonephridia with
FLAME CELLS
General Charcterisitcs (cont.)
First evidence of cephalization
primitive brain
Some have eyespots
Directional movement
No true respiratory system or circulatory
system
Usually hermaphroditic
Class Turbellaria
Free-living flatworms
Some freshwater (Planaria),
marine, or terrestrial
Most move by circular and
longitudinal muscles
Some move by using cilia (or cilia +
mucus)
Turbellarian Feeding -
Carnivorous
Wrap body around prey
Entangling with mucous
Ingest the whole prey or suck its juices
through a hardened stylet (modified
pharynx)
in many species the pharynx is completely
eversible and can envelope the entire prey
there is no anus so ingestion and egestion
are through the mouth
Turbellarian Reproduction
Sexual Reproduction
Most hermaphroditic
Both sex organs discharge gametes
into a common chamber even though
this is true- cross fertilization is the
most common mode of reproduction
Some self fertilization can and does
occur
Asexual Reproduction
Fragmentation and Regeneration
Dugesia
Class Monogenea
Parasitic
Flukes
Only one host
Most external parasites
Gyrodactylus
Polystoma
Can cause major economic
losses to fisheries
Class Trematoda
Digenetic Flukes
Complex life history, involves 2 or more
hosts
Live in every type of environment
5,000+ known species
Live mostly in digestive system or
associated organs (all parasitic)
Some Trematodes of Importance
Clonorchis Chinese human liver fluke
Fasciola hepatica Liver fluke
Schistosoma Blood fluke
Know this life cycle!
Where they are present it is hazardous to
bathe, drink, wade in or dip your arms in
infested waters!
Class Cestoda - Tapeworms
Long, Flattened
White or Yellow in color
All parasitic!
Adults almost always live in the
intestines of their hosts
Body has protective cuticle
Head (scolex) has multiple disks of
hooks for attachment
Cestodes (cont.)
Can reach up to 50 ft. in length!
No specialized sense organs
Reproduce using proglottids (segments)
Contain flame cells, nerves, muscles, male
and female reproductive organs
Shed in feces of host
Taenia saginata beef tapeworm
Taenia solium pork tapeworm
Tapeworm Structure