Phylum Platyhelminthes

GeneralCharacteristics
Theyexhibitbilateralsymmetry:
anteriorandposteriorendsaredifferent;
soarethedorsal(top)andventral
(bottom)surfaces
Theplatyhelminthsalsoexhibitsome
degreeofcephalizationCommonly
referredtoasthe'flatworms'because
theirbodiesaredorsoventrallyflattened.
Theyareacoelomates
Thisphylum(andallremainingphyla)
possess3germlayers(=triploblastic)
Themesoderm(thirdgermlayer)gives
risetomuscles,variousorgansystems,
andtheparenchyma,aformofsolid
tissuecontainingcellsandfibers

OuterBodyCovering
Thebodyofsomeplatyhelminthes
(e.g.,turbellarians)iscoveredbya
ciliatedepidermis
Epidermalcellscontainrod
shapedstructurescalledrhabdites
thatwhenreleasedintothe
surroundingwater,expandandform
aprotectivemucouscoataroundthe
animal
Theouterbodycoveringofother
platyhelminthes(e.g.,parasitic
forms)isanonciliatedtegument
Thetegumentisreferredtoasa
syncytialepithelium

OrganSystemsofthePlatyhelminthes
DigestiveSystem
Someoftheflatwormspossessadigestivesystem,withamouth,
pharynx,andabranchingintestinefromwhichthenutrientsare
absorbed
Theintestine,withonlyoneopening,isablindsystem

OrganSystemsofthePlatyhelminthescont.

ExcretorySystem(osmoregulation)
Anetworkofwatercollectingtubulesadjacenttoflamecells
oraprotonephridia
Whenciliabeattheymovewaterintothetubulesandoutthe
bodythroughporescallednephridiopores

OrganSystemsofthePlatyhelminthescont

MuscularSystem

Belowtheepidermisarelayersof
circularandlongitudinalmuscle
fibers;usedinlocomotion
NervousSystem
Includes:anteriorcerebralganglia,
longitudinalnervecords,andsome
lateralnerves
Mostfreelivingplanariansand
parasiticlarvalformspossessa
varietyofsensoryorgans(e.g.,eye
spots,statocysts,rheoreceptors)

OrganSystemsofthePlatyhelminthescont.

ReproductiveSystem

Mostarecapableofsome
formofasexual
reproduction(e.g.,many
turbellariansreproduceby
fission)
Mostflatwormsare
hermaphroditic;however,
theyoftenpairwithother
individualstoexchange
gametes

PlatyhelminthesTaxonomy

ClassTurbellaria
Freelivingflatworms;mostlymarineorganisms
Rangeinsizefrommicroscopic(interstitialspeciesbetween
sandgrains)toextremelylarge(twofeet)

Locomotion
Mostmovebymeansof
ciliaandmucous
Musclecontractionsalso
permitturning,twistingand
foldingofthebody

ClassTurbellariacont

Nutrition
Turbellariansarecarnivoresandpreyonotheranimalsoreatdead
animalremains.
Planarianshaveamuscularpharynxthattheycaninsertintotheir
preyandthenpumptobringinfoodfragments
Theseanimalshaveahighlydividedguttogreatlyincreasethe
surfaceareafordigestionandabsorption
Senses
Theyhavewelldevelopedsensorystructures,includingeyespots,
mechanoreceptors,andchemoreceptors

ClassTurbellariacont

Reproduction
Planariansarecapableofasexual
reproductionviafission
Alsocapableofregeneration;
exhibitbothanteriorposteriorand
lateralpolarity
Theyarehermaphroditesbutusually
exhibitcrossfertilization
Thepenisofsometurbellariansis
modifiedasahollowstylet;sperm
tranferisbyhypodermic
impregnation,inwhichthe
copulatingpartnersstabeachother
andinjectsperm

ClassTrematoda
Flukesthatliveasparasiteseitheronorinotherorganisms.
Outerbodylackscilia;tegumenthasalayerofglycoproteinsthatare
importantinprotectionandabsorption
Possess2suckers:
1.Oralsuckerwhichattachestoorgansofthehost
2.Ventralsuckeroracetabulum;usedtoattachtohosttissues

TypesofHosts
Oftenhavecomplexlifecyclesthatalternatebetweensexualand
asexualstages.
Mostrequireatleast2differentkindsofhoststocompletetheirlife
cycle:
1.Definitivehost(primaryhost)
Thehostinwhichtheparasitematuresandreproduces(sexually)
Thehostinwhicheggsarereleased
2.Intermediatehost
Hostsinwhichlarvalstagesdevelopandundergoasexual
reproduction
Resultsinanincreaseinthenumberoftheindividuals

GeneralLifeCycleChineseliverfluke,Clonorchissinensis
Adultsliveinthebileductsofhumans,dogs,andcats
Thereare2intermediatehosts:asnailandafish
Eggsarepassedoutofthedefinitivehostandhatchasciliated
larvaecalledmiracidia
Themiracidiapenetratesasnailmolluscanhostandbecomesa
sporocyst
Theyundergoasexualreproductionproducinglarvaecalledrediae
Rediaeoftenasexuallyproducemorerediae,butwilleventually
giverisetolarvaecalledcercariae
Theyleavethemolluscanhostandpenetratefish
Theyencystinthefishtissuesasthemetacercaria
Consumptionofinfectedfishresultsinthemetacercariaexcysting
inthegutandmigratingtothebileduct

Schistosoma
Schistosomaspp.isacommon
bloodflukeofSoutheastAsiathat
causesshistosomiasis
Humansarethedefinitivehost;
snailsaretheintermediatehost
Inhumansitseggsultimately
penetratesanddamagesintestinal
tissueandtissueofthebladder
Asourceofconstant
inflammationandeventually
leadstodeteriorationofliver,
spleenandotherorgans

ClassCestoda

GeneralMorphology
Nonciliatedtegumentcomposedofglycoprotein
Theanteriorregioniscalledascolex;oftenarmedwithsuckers
andhooks
Extendingfromtheneckisa
seriesofproglottids;containthe
sexorgansandeggs;no
digestivesystem
Matureeggsreleasedthrough
anopeningintheproglottidor
leavethehostwhenthe
proglottidsareseparatedfrom
themainbodyoftheworm.

BeefTapeworm,Taeniarhynchussaginatus
Definitivehosthumans;intermediatehostcattle
Eggsareshedwithhumanfeces;infectedpersonsdefecateina
pastureandtheeggsareingestedbycattle
Eggshatchgivingrisetooncospherelarvaethatboreintothe
intestinalwallandgetintothecirculatorysystemtobetransportedto
muscle
Herethelarvaedevelopintothecysticercusstage(=thebladder
worm)withtheinvertedscolex
Ifuncookedbeefisconsumedthecysticercusisfreedandthe
scolexeverts,formingtheadult
Symptomsincludelossofweight,chronicindigestion,diarrhea